A Soldier's Coming Home
by morsus mihi
Summary: Based on the song by The Dixie Chicks: A chance meeting bring Edward and Bella together, but the military and the Vietnam War may permanently tear them apart. AU/AH Canon couples There will be a happy ending and graphic lemons.
1. Chapter 1

A Soldier's Coming Home

_Chapter 1_

"Travelin' Soldier" by The Dixie Chicks

_Two days past eighteen_

_He was waiting for the bus in his Army green_

_Sat down in a booth in a café there_

_Gave his order to a girl with a bow in her hair_

_He's a little shy so she gives him a smile_

_And he said, "Would you mind sittin' down for a while_

_And talkin' to me_

_I'm feeling a little low."_

_She said, "I'm off in an hour and I know where we can go."_

_So they went down and they sat on the pier._

_He said, "I bet you got a boyfriend but I don't care._

_I got no one to send a letter to._

_Would you mind if I sent one back to you?"_

Edward sighed as he dropped his duffle bag to the floor and sat down at the table. He had several hours left before the Army bus was scheduled to leave; too many hours to keep from thinking. Thinking about his parents just brought pain and a massive sense of abandonment. He had signed up with the Army against their wishes and they now refused to acknowledge that they even had a son. He understood their stance on the war. His own political beliefs were not far from their own. The US shouldn't even be in Vietnam; the problem there was not our problem. But that didn't change the fact that Edward felt he had a duty to stand up and fight for his country. He'd always been raised to support our troops, no matter what, so he really couldn't understand why his decision had generated such an incredible response.

"Hi, what can I get you to drink?" The soft voice to his side startled Edward, he'd been so engrossed in his own thoughts. He looked up to find a young woman, about his age, with beautiful brown hair pulled up with a bow and big brown eyes. She was the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen, not that he had seen that many. "Um, a Coke, please."

"I'll be right back with that," she replied, placing a menu on the table near his hand. He watched her walk away, taking note of her trim figure and the soft sway of her hips as she walked. He was so entranced that he only stopped watching when she reached the kitchen door. He looked down at the menu on the table before him, trying to bring some sense back to his thoughts.

She placed the drink next to him with a straw in a paper wrapper. "So, have you seen anything you like?" she asked, with a beautiful smile. Her lips were a perfect pink, the top just a shade heavier than the bottom.

"Yes," is all Edward could manage by way of a response. He found himself lost in her eyes again. After a moment of silence, a tiny giggle escaped the girl. It was enough to break Edward out of his trance, and raise a blush to his cheeks. "Sorry," he said, closing the menu and handing it back to her. "I think I'll have a burger and fries."

"Good choice. It's what I always get. You want cheese?"

"Yes, please." Edward hesitated just a moment, and then took a deep breath to steel his nerves. "I'm sorry, I didn't get your name."

"Oh, I'm sorry. I'm always forgetting that part. It's so bad now that I actually answer to 'Hey, you!'" she shared, while laughing gently. "It's Bella." With that, Bella returned to the kitchen to put his order in.

'Bella,' Edward thought to himself. Her name is as beautiful as she is.

*****

Bella took a deep breath as she passed through the door into the kitchen. Her heart was pounding and she felt like she must be bright red. What an incredibly strong reaction to a man she'd just met.

Bella had noticed the young man in green fatigues come into the diner. It wasn't unusual to get travelers in with the bus stop being just next door. He was, however, the most handsome man she'd ever met. He was tall with a muscular build, but not too muscular. He had piercing green eyes and bronze flyaway hair. What a shame to have that beautiful hair shaved off. Bella found herself sad that he was going off to war when she had only just met him. 'Get real, Bella. A guy that handsome must have a girl back home. Certainly he wouldn't be interested in me.' she told herself.

Luckily it was a light day at the diner and her handsome soldier was her only table. She peeked around the door to check on him, and saw that he'd drained his glass. Excited for an opportunity to speak to him again, she grabbed another glass and filled it with cola. Just as she was about to leave the kitchen, her dad, Charlie, put her soldier's plate on the serving shelf. Grabbing a hot pad, Bella lifted the plate and carried both to his table, giving thanks the entire way that she hadn't tripped or dropped anything yet.

"Here's your burger and some more soda for you. Is there anything else I can do for you?" she asked as she placed the drink down and began to slide the plate in front of him. Just as she was about to let go, the hot pad slipped, bringing her fingertips into contact with the very hot plate. Bella yelped in pain and pulled her hand away, blowing on her fingers.

The soldier gently took her hand in his, examining the faint red marks developing on her fingertips. Bella couldn't help but notice how large and strong his hands were. Nor could she ignore the jolt of awareness that blasted through her at his touch. She immediately froze, looking up into his eyes to see if he had felt the same thing.

*****

Edward's heart stopped beating for a moment, then resumed its beating in triple time. Her hands were so small and soft compared to his. He looked into her beautiful brown eyes, and saw the recognition in hers. She had felt that same bolt of electricity. Edward brought his eyes back to her reddening fingertips. He noticed some oddly shaped calluses on them, and found himself wondering how they were developed. Grabbing a couple of pieces of ice from his empty cola glass, he rubbed her fingertips, trying to take the pain and heat out of the burns.

Edward looked up into Bella's face, which was bright red with embarrassment. "Are you okay? Is this helping?" he asked, once again examining her wounds. The skin was still a little red, but seemed to be getting no worse.

"Oh, uh, yeah, I'm fine. Thank you…" Bella trailed off, realizing that while the handsome soldier knew her name, she didn't know his. Glancing around the area, she noticed the name "Masen" stenciled on the side of his duffle. "Mr. Masen. I am constantly hurting myself, I am so clumsy. This is nothing, really," she stuttered out, trying to pull her hand from his. She couldn't think clearly with him holding her hand.

"It's Edward, Edward Masen. Are you sure you're okay?" Edward was clearly hesitant to let go of her hand. This only made Bella blush all that much more.

"It's fine, Edward. Thank you, though." Bella reluctantly pulled her hand from his, already missing the feeling of his skin against hers. She picked up the now empty glass, and glanced around the table. "Is there anything else I can get for you?"

Edward seemed to hesitate a moment, before appearing to come to some sort of a decision. "Would you mind sitting down for a while and talking with me?"

The smile on her face was nearly blinding. "I would love to talk with you, but I have a few things to finish up before I finish my shift in an hour. I know somewhere we could go, if that's okay with you?" Bella's heart was yet again thundering in her chest, and she couldn't quell her excitement at the idea of this beautiful man who apparently wanted to talk with her.

"I would like that very much," said Edward, returning her bright smile with one of his own. His thoughts and attention remained on her as she walked around the diner, filling salt, pepper, and sugar shakers, tidying up as she went. Edward found that although the burger and fries were delicious, he simply couldn't concentrate on his meal with his attention so thoroughly snared by such a beautiful young woman. Before he knew it, he'd finished his dinner. He checked the time and found that he had about twenty more minutes before her shift was finished. He left enough money to cover the ticket on his table and took his duffle bag with him as he left the diner.

Bella's heart nearly stopped when she saw Edward leave. What had she said or done to make him change his mind? She bit back tears as she cleared his table, absentmindedly closing out his ticket and finished her end-of-shift duties. She was relieved to see Renee, the waitress covering the rest of the day come in. She could leave. She changed out of her waitressing uniform into a pair of jeans and a bright top. It no longer fit her mood. "See ya at home, Dad," she called as she left the kitchen area.

"'Kay, Bella. Be careful out there," her Dad called back. He worked hard to make the diner a success, and he and Bella were quite used to working together.

No longer struggling to keep the sadness from her face, she walked through the diner to the front door. She pushed through the door, not looking up, and as she blinked, a single tear made its way down her cheek.

"What's wrong, beautiful? Is your hand hurting more?" Edward asked, seeming to appear out of nowhere. He reached up, cupping her cheek with his hand, wiping away the tear with his thumb.

Bella froze in her amazement that he had come back. When his hand cradled her face, she couldn't help but lean into it, enjoying the warmth and comfort. When she realized he'd caught her crying, she looked down in embarrassment. "No, my hand is fine. I..I thought you'd left," she whispered before looking back up into his eyes.

"I'm sorry, Bella. I should have told you where I was going. I wanted to drop off my duffle and get something from the store real quick before we started talking. I'm so sorry I made you cry." Edward's chest was tight with conflicting emotions. Seeing her tear had broken his heart, yet at the same time, it soared at the thought that she liked him enough to have cried at the idea that he'd left her. He also couldn't get past how very right touching her in such an intimate manner felt, like he'd been crafted to hold her. His arms ached to test the theory, but he knew that it was much too soon to think about the possibility. His mother may not exactly be talking to him at the moment, but she had raised him to be a gentleman, and the liberty he was taking in touching her face without permission was pushing those boundaries already.

"It's okay, Edward. I just get over-emotional sometimes," Bella said, waving her hand as if she were trying to wave off his concern. This was all an act, however. Bella was overwhelmed with the idea that Edward was upset with himself for having upset her, as unintentional as it was. Could it be that he felt the same as she, this overwhelming need to be near him, touching him, look into his eyes? She'd never felt that way in her life, and had no idea how to handle it, nor how to tell if he were feeling the same.

Bella reached up to cradle her hand around his, holding his hand against her face for a moment more, before pulling both down between them. In a move that surprised both of them, their hands automatically adjusted so that they were holding each other, so naturally that one might think that they'd spent years holding hands. Lifting their eyes from their joined hands, Edward and Bella looked into each other's eyes, making sure that the closeness was wanted by the other. Growing smiles answered the question for both.

Bella led them down the street to the waterfront and down a long pier. They were far enough from everything as to have total privacy. Edward helped her sit down at the edge before settling himself down facing her. After a moment of silence, Edward placed a brown paper bag he'd been carrying between them. Bella looked down at it before lifting her eyes back to his, silently asking what it was.

"Bella, can I ask you a question?" Edward asked nervously. His hands rubbed against each other, as if he couldn't keep them still.

"Of course, Edward."

"Do you have a boyfriend? You're so beautiful, I don't see how you couldn't."

"No, I don't. I never have. If I did, I wouldn't be here with you now."

Edward raised his head to look Bella in the eye. "I don't have much time before the bus gets here, so I feel that I should speak as plain as possible." He waited for a moment as she nodded her head in understanding and agreement. "Bella, I'm drawn to you. I've never been drawn to anyone like this before. I've never had a girlfriend, either. Not even close. And I feel it would be incredibly unfair of me to ask you to wait for me, when we've only just met and…"

Bella lifted her hand to his mouth to stop his flow of words. Edward couldn't stop himself from placing his hand over hers to hold it to his lips for a sweet kiss and an opportunity to breathe in her delicate scent. He did his best to commit it to memory, knowing that it would be a very long time before he smelled anything so beautiful again.

"Edward…" Bella whispered as she ducked her head, a faint blush staining her cheeks. Edward panicked a moment, thinking he'd offended her, before she was able to put words to her feelings. "I feel the same way. It's like I can't get near enough to you, like I ache to throw myself into your arms." Edward let out a little moan at the thought of having her in his arms. She slid her hand from in front of his mouth to his cheek, where he leaned his face into her hand. He'd never felt so comforted and loved in his life. Again, he did his best to commit the moment to memory, gathering as many as he could to comfort himself during the hell he'd signed himself up for. Now he heartily wished he hadn't done so, had agreed to go to college like his parents wanted. If he had, he could have stayed here with Bella. But then, if he hadn't been waiting for the bus to Basic, they might have never met. They were clearly from different towns, and had gone to school at different places. That was the only explanation behind their not meeting before.

"I won't ask you to wait for me, no matter how my tongue begs to say the words." Edward took a deep breath, gazing at their intertwined hands between them. "But will you write to me? Can I write to you?"

"Of course, Edward. I would be honored to write to you. And I will anxiously wait for your words every day. As for waiting for you, you don't have to ask. I will be here, waiting for you to return, for as long as it takes. I promise." It wasn't a promise lightly given. She had friends who were in relationships with military men, men who'd gone off to war. Several of them weren't coming home. Two had been killed, one had married a Vietnamese girl and had stayed overseas after being discharged. Bella knew exactly what could happen, to her and to Edward. But Bella also knew her heart, and knew that she'd lost it the moment her eyes had looked into his green ones.

"I'll come back to you, as soon as I can, Bella." Edward raised his hands to cradle her face. Again, his heart ached as he saw tears welling in her eyes, through the tears in his own. They each blinked to clear their vision, letting twin tracks slide down their faces. They leaned in toward each other, Edward's hands still cradling Bella's face, her hands grasping his wrists. When their lips were but a whisper apart, they looked deep into each other's eyes and spoke, "I promise." Edward brushed his lips across hers, once, then again, making sure that this is what she wanted. His heart thundered in his hears and his breath came in pants but all he could see was her.

Bella released Edward's wrists and he began to lean back, thinking that she wanted to stop, they were going too fast. Immediately he looked away, angry at himself for pushing something so beautiful too fast. Her hands slid up his neck to bury themselves in his hair and pulled his face back to hers. Bella gazed into his eyes for a moment, before crashing her lips into his. She couldn't stop her ravenous reaction, hungry for this new sensation that made her heart sing and her body tingle. Edward's surprise at her reaction lasted only the briefest of moments before he was as enthusiastically engaged in the kiss as she. Their lips moved against each other, both learning as their noses bumped and they fought for unfortunately necessary breath. After a few moments, they broke apart, grins widening at each other.

The bag crinkled between them, bringing their awareness back to their surroundings. The sun was getting low in the sky, and he knew that his time was quickly coming to an end. Edward reluctantly pulled his hands from hers and reached into the bag, pulling out some stationary and envelopes. "I didn't pack anything to write on because I didn't have anyone to write to, so I went to the general store and got some paper. I don't know what my address is going to be, but I will write to you as soon as they let me."

Bella grabbed a pen out of her purse and wrote her address down on a sheet of paper. Edward glanced at the information before carefully folding the paper and tucking it into his wallet, where he was sure not to lose it. He'd memorized her address in that moment, but he knew he would treasure her writing in the time to come, even after she wrote. While he was putting her address away, Bella continued to dig in her purse until she produced a pair of scissors. Unsure of her intentions, Edward simply watched as she pulled her hair down from her pony tail, spreading it around her shoulders where it continued halfway down her back. Bella searched through her hair looking for the longest piece before following the strands up to her scalp, where she deftly cut it before Edward could even begin to protest. What resulted was a nearly three foot long lock of hair. Bella tied a knot in the scalp ends to hold the lock together.

"A friend did this for her boyfriend before he shipped out. I think he ended up keeping it in his wallet in an envelope. Her hair wasn't as long as mine, though. I don't know if you think it's weird, but…"

"No, no! I'm just shocked you were willing to give me a lock of your hair. I will cherish it. Maybe I can braid it and wear it as a necklace or something." Edward took the length of hair, curling it into a circle before tucking it into an envelope for safe-keeping until he could decide what to do it with. He wanted to keep it on him at all times, but knew that it would be difficult to do. He would figure out a way. Bella had just given a literal piece of herself to him. A visual reminder of her existence. He glanced up into her face, to find her eyes locked on his own soon-to-be-bald head. "Cut it, Bella. Take what you want."

Bella's eyes dropped to Edward's, surprised at getting caught coveting his gorgeous bronze hair. "You don't have to just because I did…"

"Bella, it's going to get shaved off as soon as I get there. If you want it, take it. I would give you anything to make you smile, even if I weren't about to become bald." Edward took the scissors from Bella's suddenly shaking hands, and searched through his own locks to find the longest pieces. Following her example, he snipped the strands close to the scalp, giving her as much length as he could. Once he had a handful, he dropped it into the envelope she held open for him. Looking back up to his now-hacked up mane, Bella had to laugh. Edward looked as if he had mange. He would have to have his head shaved for it to look right again. "Is that enough for you, milady? Or shall I keep chopping?"

Bella still chuckled as she sealed the envelope and tucked it into her purse. "No, no, that's plenty. Keep chopping up your hair and they may just send you back home."

The joke fell flat between them, speaking aloud the one wish they both knew would never come true. Edward palmed Bella's face again as she looked down at her hands, her face scrunched up as she tried not to cry. When the first few tears fell down her face, Edward pulled her into his lap, wrapping his arms around her and holding her tight. Bella nestled her face into Edward's chest, allowing his shirt to absorb her tears, wishing it could absorb her pain as easily.

"Oh, Bella, I'm so sorry. I wished I'd never signed up. I never imagined I would meet someone like you."

After a moment, Bella was able to get a reply choked out of her clogged throat. "No, it's okay. If you hadn't, we might not have met, not for a long time, if ever. But no matter what happens, Edward," she began as she looked up to gaze intently into his eyes, "I will never regret meeting you. I will always treasure you in my heart." Bella rested her head back down onto his chest, closing her eyes to concentrate on the feel of his arms around her, the scent of him enveloping her, the sound of his breath.

They stayed that way for many long minutes, both unable to face the dwindling time left. Finally, Edward sighed while checking the watch on his wrist. The bus was due in half an hour. "Love, its time to go to the bus station." Bella nodded her understanding before hugging him even closer to him. After a moment, she let go to stand up. Edward stood up next to her before stooping to grab the stationery in the bag and her purse. He reached up to smooth the tears off of her face again, then took her hand and led her back down the pier and to the bus station. He went inside briefly to grab the duffle that he'd left there, tucking his purchase into it for safe keeping. He returned to her side to await the bus, his heart breaking as assuredly as hers. Looking down at their intertwined hands, he noticed his Senior High School ring and had an idea.

"Bella, would you mind keeping something for me? Maybe even wear it, if you want?"

Bella raised her tear-soaked eyes to his, questioning him with her gaze. She looked down again as he tugged the ring off his finger. The ring was gold, with a cream-colored stone with green marbling that matched his eyes. His name was etched on one side with a football player underneath, while the mascot, Spartans, was etched into the other, with the symbol for academics below. The school name, Forks High School, was etched around the stone.

"No wonder we haven't met. We were always on opposite sides of the field. I've seen you play a couple of times. You always kicked our butts. And you killed us at Homecoming last year."

"No way. I should have figured you go to school here. I have to say though, playing the Bobcats is always a highlight to our season. You're tough, but you play clean. Wait, you've seen me play? Would I have seen you?"

"Only if you were in the habit of watching the band. I'm the piccolo player. They were afraid I'd hurt someone if they gave me anything bigger to play. As it is, the band director does his best to keep my position as still as possible when we're marching. I have been known to take out the entire band." Bella laughed along with Edward, glad that they were able to take a moment of levity in the face of such an overwhelming grief. For the first time in her life, she was glad she was a klutz.

"I remember last year when we played in Forks. We rested in the end field while the band played instead of going in, and I do vaguely remember watching the band play. You didn't take them down that night, otherwise I'd have remembered more." Edward laughed at the memory, imagining poor Bella taking down the other members of the band. He shook his head in wonder at how incredibly close they were to meeting, but never did. "Who knew I had to come to Aberdeen to meet the woman of my dreams."

Bella ducked her head again and blushed, pleasure shining through her eyes as she returned her gaze to his. Returning to the topic that had brought about the discovery of their near misses, Bella took the offered ring, placing it on her thumb. "Edward, I would be honored to wear your ring. I'll tie it on a ribbon around my neck. Your hands are so big, there's no way it'll fit on my finger, even with yarn." Bella's receding blush reappeared with a vengeance as she thought of Edward's large hands and how they felt against her.

Searching for something to distract him and herself from her somewhat personal observation, they were both startled by the bus pulling up beside them. They looked at the bus and then back at each other in panic, knowing that he had to get on it and leave her almost immediately. Their goodbye would have to come now, whether they were ready or not.

"Wait, will you take my ribbon? It's not much, but it's the only thing I have I can give you…" Bella begged breathlessly as she untied the ribbon from her purse. It had been the ribbon that had held up her hair during her shift. She couldn't imagine that he would want a gold ribbon, but it was the only thing she could think of at the moment.

"Yes, Bella, please. I would love anything to remember you by," Edward nearly groaned as he wrapped the ribbon around his fist. He would treasure this ribbon, it held her scent and her memories. He would wear it always. To hell with what the other guys thought.

Edward pulled Bella into a tight embrace, each squeezing with all their might, saying with their bodies what they could no longer speak. Tears again streamed down her face, as a few dripped down his. They kissed desperately, hearing the impatient honking of the bus driver behind them. He had to go. They pulled apart, looking deeply into each other's eyes one last time, before a final quick kiss goodbye. Edward climbed onto the bus, making his way down the aisle as the driver put the bus in gear and started on his way. Edward settled into the back seat, still looking behind with his hand placed against the window, watching Bella until he could no longer see her.

Edward leaned back in his seat, marveling at how completely his life had changed in just a few short hours. He still had his duty that he had committed to, but now he had something precious to return to.

*****

Bella watched as the bus pulled away, Edward in the rear window, palm pressed against the glass. She waved until she couldn't see him anymore. Then, with unimaginable slowness, she crumpled to the ground as her sobs began to rock her. She had held off the emotional storm long enough to keep him from seeing her fall apart; she didn't want to add more pain for him than was necessary. A moment later, a pair of strong, familiar arms wrapped around her. Charlie pulled her to his chest as he rocked her in his arms. "He'll be back, Bella. Have faith."

Bella continued to cry in his arms as her heart shattered, though a part of her wondered how he knew she needed him. "How?"

Charlie sighed and then said, "I noticed you were acting strange with that last order, but I didn't figure out how strange until Renee had to replace all the salt in the salt shakers. You filled them with sugar." Charlie chuckled as he shook his head. That had been an interesting basket of fries. Luckily for them, the meal had been his own instead of a customer's. "I saw you down on the pier with him. It didn't take long to put two and two together. He's a little old for you, don't you think?" The last comment had its intended effect: distracting her from the pain.

"Only a couple of months! I think." Bella went silent for a moment as she considered the events of the day. "Dad, is it possible to fall in love in just a few hours? A real, lasting love like you had with Mom?"

"I wish I could say 'no', but it would be a lie. I fell in love with your mother almost on sight. I knew by the end of the day that I wanted to marry her. It took three weeks to get her to go out with me. We were inseparable after that. I never once imagined that I would be left here on Earth without her, but I wouldn't trade it for anything. I still love her, even after all these years."

"Do you ever think about dating again?"

"Sometimes. I get lonely sometimes, especially now that you're grown up and have a life of your own. The diner keeps me busy, but it'd still be nice to share my life with someone I cared for, though I know I will never fall in love again like I did with your mother. That is one thing about the Swans, and it is why I recognized what was happening today. When we fall in love, it is fast, hard, and permanent. You'll always love your young man. If something, Heaven forbid, should happen to him, you may find a measure of love with someone else, but it will never be like the all-encompassing love you feel for him."

In a way, this comforted Bella. It was reassuring to know that she wouldn't fall out of love as drastically as she had fallen into it. But it also intensified her fear. What if he didn't come back? Would she never feel complete again?

_I cried_

_Never gonna hold the hand of another guy_

_Too young for him they told her_

_Waitin' for the love of a travelin' soldier_

_Our love will never end_

_Waitin' for the soldier to come back again_

_Never more to be alone when the letter said_

_A soldier's coming home_


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

_So the letters came from an army camp_

_In California then Vietnam_

_And he told her of his heart_

_It might be love and all of the things he was so scared of_

_He said when its getting kinda rough over here_

_I think of that day sittin' down at the pier_

_And I close my eyes and see your pretty smile_

_Don't worry but I won't be able to write for a while_

July 13, 1972

Dearest Bella,

I am so sorry it has taken me so long to write. We are just now being allowed to have personal time. Basic has not been easy, but it is pretty much as I expected it to be. I am lucky in that I've made a couple of friends, Jasper and Emmett. Like me, they signed up (idiots, all of us). Unlike me, they have no sweetheart back home. They are both great guys. Do you think a couple of friends might be willing to be pen-pals for them? Not like seriously setting them up, but just someone for them to talk to? They have their parents, but it's just not the same.

I have thought of you constantly. I've written this letter a thousand times in my head, and yet, here I finally sit, and can't remember a word. I have come to realize that for as much as we connected that day, we really don't know much about each other. So, I've decided to ask questions. I have no idea how many, and will provide my own answers to those questions. I've included my DOD picture, as you can see. I hope I'm not being presumptuous in doing so. And yet, I must continue upon my presumptuousness in asking for a picture of you in return. I'm quite sure Emmett and Jasper could pick you out of a thousand girls I've talked about you so much, and I would love to show them exactly how beautiful you are.

Should you be curious, I have come up with a way to continuously wear both your lock of hair and your ribbon. I did braid your hair and it ended up being the perfect length to fit around my ankle. I would have preferred my wrist, but we're not allowed to wear anything other than a watch. So, with some string and some help from Jasper, I have successfully attached it to myself. The ribbon, unfortunately, must come off, at least in the shower, but all other times is tied to the same ankle, again for the same reason. Regretfully, it no longer smells of you, but it is enough to help me remember the intoxicating scent of your hair. I will admit that I received some ribbing the first few days for wearing a girl's golden hair ribbon around my ankle, until Emmett stepped in and told them that they were just jealous because they didn't have a beautiful girl waiting for them back home. That quieted them down significantly. Then, several days later, a few of the guys (individually, not as a group) expressed that they wish they had something of their sweetheart's, like I had of you. A couple of them even said they were going to ask them to send something along those lines in their first letter. You may have started a trend. There's going to be a whole platoon of guys with brightly-colored ribbons wrapped around their ankles fighting over there. Just call us the Rainbow Warriors.

I find myself struggling with the decision on whether or not to write to my parents. I didn't have time to explain that day, so I'll try to at least summarize it here. My parents are rather conservative in their personal beliefs, and this includes their political views. I follow them in that regard, though we don't have quite the same view on the war. When I informed them that I had chosen to enlist, rather than go to college and get a deferment, they were incredibly upset. I understand it, to a point, but I still don't understand their reaction. When they found that not only could they not change my mind, but that I'd already enlisted and was shipping out two days after my eighteenth birthday, they just, I don't know, lost it. They denounced me as their son, and refused to speak to me for the remainder of my stay. I ended up staying with a buddy from high school. As you might imagine, I am incredibly hurt and confused. They are the ones who taught me to think for myself, and yet when I do so, they cannot accept it. I don't feel that I am throwing away my opportunity for an education, as they insisted, since it'll be there when I get back, and will even be paid for by the military, at least in part. I know that coming back as a war-time veteran will not be easy. I've seen some of the guys coming back. Many of them are messed up, mentally. I know it's a possibility, but isn't going into it prepared a way to reduce the odds of it happening? I just don't know, Bella. I feel like they completely abandoned me, when I need family in my life more than ever before. I think I will send one, to tell them of you, if nothing else. That way, if something happens to me, they will be able to let you know. A sad thought, yes, but one I have to face.

I have so many questions, and so little time to really get them all down, much less my answers to those same questions. I fear that it will take longer than I have available. So, I guess I should begin. What to ask first. I suppose I could start with one that I've already explained, at least in part. My parents' names are Edward and Elizabeth Masen. I am not a Jr., thank heaven. My full name is Edward Anthony Masen. My father is a banker and my mother is a housewife. I have no siblings, though they tried for years. I was born in Chicago, but we moved to Forks when I was in middle school. Mom was tired of the big city and my father got a good job at the local bank. I graduated from Forks High last May with honors. I considered going to college, and got accepted to UW, but decided to enlist instead. My birthday is June 20th. I'm not entirely sure what I want to go to school for when I get home, but I know its not going to be banking. Math has always been a struggle, even though I got decent grades in it. I think I'd like to go into Medicine, and I know the tuition help from the military will help, especially if my parents have decided not to. I'm pretty ripped up about the whole thing with them, but I have faith in myself, and in you, that we'll make it, even without them. I just don't know what to do about it. Okay, no more downers.

There were several questions imbedded in that last paragraph, but the rest I'll just kinda list out, okay?

Color? Blue, although brown is definitely growing on me

Music? I actually like a wide range of music, from classical to country to rock. I'm not sure what my favorite song would be. Claire de Lune in classical. Elvis is okay, but I tend to like the smoother love ballads from Neil Diamond, Elton John, and Wayne Newton more. The most hilarious song I've ever heard is My Ding-a-Ling from Chuck Berry. My mother was so offended when she heard that one. I also like Brandy from Looking Glass, though it kind of depresses me. Talk about star-crossed lovers!

Hobbies? In addition to music, I love to read (again, from classics to the latest mysteries. Even a romance now and then, though don't tell the guys that.) Sports: playing and watching, especially football and soccer.

How long have you worked at the diner? I didn't really have time for a job during school because of all the sports I was in, plus I was lucky enough that my parents are financially comfortable, so I didn't have to get one.

Who are your best friends? Do they know about me? What do they think?

What is your favorite memory growing up? Mine is from the first football game I played in at Forks. I ran for my very first touchdown and my friends and family was so excited for me. We had an impromptu party that evening and we all had a blast.

Favorite food? Bobcat. Kidding. Pizza for me, but nobody makes it like they did in Chicago. I also like spaghetti and lasagna. I guess the short answer would be Italian.

Drink? Most of the time its Coke, but sometimes lemonade. I can't stand milk.

So many questions, and yet now that I'm writing them down, my mind has gone blank.

I hate to ask, but is there any way you could send me some more paper? I have a feeling I'm going to be going through it pretty fast. I'm already down to two clean sheets and I still have to write my mother. The commissary here is always out.

We have a weekend pass coming up in a couple of weeks, and Jasper and Emmett are trying to talk me into going out with them. I might join them for some drinks, but I'm not interested in meeting girls (obviously I already met one), but I may just stay here on base. It'll be the last time we're allowed off-base before we ship out.

I miss you, Bella. Every night after lights out, I think about us sitting on the pier talking. I imagine your voice, your touch, your scent, and your taste. I don't want to lose those memories, so I'm sure to think about them often, to keep them fresh. My hands itch to touch your face and hair. My arms ache to hold you close to me. My lips tremble at the thought of kissing you again. My ears ring with the need to hear your velvet-soft voice. My heart throbs with the need to be near you again. I never realized how very incomplete I was until I held you in my arms. And now, I feel like a puzzle piece that is missing the rest of my puzzle. I hope I don't offend or scare you with my feelings. I know it's awfully fast. I never imagined feeling the way I do. I understand if you don't feel the same. Or if you feel I'm moving too fast. I take my cues from you, Bella. Just know that you have overwhelmed me.

Watch over my heart, I've left it with you.

Always,

Edward


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

July 22, 1972

Dearest Edward,

I cannot tell you how excited I was to receive your letter. My dad and friends probably could, though. First off, I must apologize for my handwriting. Yours is absolutely beautiful. Alice told me that if you put our writing next to each other, people would think that yours was the girl's and mine would be the boy's. I'm not sure how I feel about that.

Please know that you did not offend or scare me in any way. In fact, you made my heart soar. I've never felt so adored. And Edward, I feel the same way about you. I dream of you every night and talk about you all the time. I don't know how to say what I feel without blushing, so I can only say that I feel the same as you. I'm sorry I don't have the words.

As you can see, we created a care package for you. I wanted to get the paper you mentioned (please tell me what you need and want, it's the only thing I can do for support) but several girlfriends who have boyfriends or brothers in the war told me about the other things you might need. I hope you enjoy the cookies. I know I won't be able to send them once you've shipped out (unless you can use rock-hard cookies as ammunition), but I couldn't resist baking some for you now. Actually, when I'm upset or worried about something, I tend to bake, so there's been a ton of sweets at the diner lately. At least giving away cookies is easy. Alice and Rose, my best friends (I'll tell you more about them later), agreed to write to Emmett and Jasper. They knew right off which one they wanted to write to, too. It was weird. Rose chose Emmett and Alice chose Jasper. They've included introductory letters (with photos) of their own in here, so please give them their notes, and a "Hello" from me. It was their idea to send a picture of them both to the guys to make them guess which was which. Rose is the blond.

Thank you, by the way, for the photo. I couldn't decide if I wanted it on my nightstand or in my wallet, so I took it to a photo place and got a copy made, so now I have both! You are so very handsome, though I must admit I miss the wild hair. It made my fingers just itch to run them through it. Perhaps, if you don't fall in love with being bald, I'll be able to do that soon enough. Speaking of hair, you might be a bit surprised at what I did. You can barely see it in the picture I sent. Alice and Rose tied your hair to mine in several places by wrapping it with string over and over. That was a long process, but I feel like I'm carrying a part of you with me everywhere I go (though I must admit I've blushed in the shower a few times with that thought). So, I've got five thick ropes of your hair fused with mine, wrapped in yellow string. My dad just rolled his eyes at me. My band director and the school officials objected at first (band practice has already started, so you can imagine me out there tweeting away, trying desperately to not trip) but once I explained what it was and its significance, (and my Dad went up there and raised hell), they backed down. They wanted me to change the color then, to either a color that would blend in with my hair or to the school colors, but again, Dad backed them down. They finally decided that yellow was close enough to gold. Of course, it helped that Rose put a couple in her hair, too, and her dad's the mayor. They're not likely to cause a stink about what she wears. So, I wear your hair constantly, too, and I wear your ring around my neck the entire time I'm awake and not in the shower. I tried sleeping with it, but almost choked myself with it.

Obviously, my friends know about you, and are very supportive of us. Alice is totally into the whole "soul-mate" and "love at first sight" thing, so she's absolutely positive that we're meant for each other. Especially after I explained that I just don't feel whole without you. Like you said, I didn't know I was less than complete until I met you. Rose was a bit more reserved, but that's her normal way. With her family's money and their stature in town, she is hesitant to believe something is genuine because so often for her, its not. She's been chased by many guys who want her for her daddy's money or the social status, and even her looks, and they didn't give a dang about who she really is. Who knows, maybe Emmett will have a better chance with her with getting to know her through writing first. Alice is always upbeat and energetic. They're both on the cheerleading team. They tried to get me to join in middle school, and I just laughed at them. Did they actually think I wouldn't hurt someone? We've known each other since elementary school, and have been fast friends the whole time. We consider ourselves sisters. As you probably already know, they sent along ribbons, too, to help the "cause". I can only imagine Jasper running around with a pink ribbon and Emmett with a lavender one. Rainbow Warriors, indeed. We've decided to paint "RW" with a yellow ribbon threaded through it on our cheeks for all of our games and competitions.

The situation with your parents made me cry. I cannot imagine my dad not being supportive of me, no matter the decision I made. It made me realize exactly how lucky I am, even without a mom. I don't know what to tell you about it, other than to know that no matter what, I'm here for you. I won't just leave you, even if we're fighting or disagree about something. I'll stick around so we can work it out. And I'm so sorry they did that. I think you're brave to write to them, and I think you should. If nothing else, you'll know that you've made the effort. I wish I could give you a great big hug to help you feel better.

As I'm sure you picked up on, my dad knows about you. He knew about you before I told him anything. Apparently I was in such a rush to get out that day that I managed to put sugar in the salt shakers. He had a really sweet basket of fries. He came looking for me after that to find out what had me so rattled and saw us at the pier. Oh, no worries, he wasn't upset about anything. He's really cool like that. He figured out the situation, and waited until after the bus left to come find me. He shared some really deep wisdom with me that day, having to do with our family line and how we are about our significant others. I'll share that with you some other time.

I bet you're a little confused now about the diner and my dad. We own the diner. My dad is the cook, though I help out back there when needed, and I waitress up front, along with Sue and a couple of other girls who come in when its really busy. During the summer I was working all the time to save up money, but with Band started again, I had to cut back, and I'll have to cut back even more when school starts again next month. Business has been good, so I don't necessarily have to work for the money, but I want to put some aside for when its time to go to college. I'm going to UW, too, so I was excited to see that you were considering going there. Whatever decision you make, though, we'll work it out together. I've decided to be an English major, and teach high school English. I love books, both classic and new, and I want to share that with students. I already have my application in at UW and a conditional acceptance, so as long as I pass my classes this year, I'm in next Fall. Dad's already got it set aside (insurance money from my mother's death) so I won't be starting out with a bunch of student debt like most students.

I just realized that I haven't told you about my mother. She died when I was five. They had gotten a divorce when I was still in diapers, and she moved down to Phoenix. I stayed here with Dad. She was in a car accident. She still had life insurance through my dad, so when she died, he received the money. It was enough to set aside for my college years and to retire from the police force and open up the diner. (Yeah, my dad's an ex-cop.) I was able to hang out with him at the diner when I wasn't in school, and I just gradually started helping out when I was old enough to. He taught me how to short-order cook, along with some regular hone-like dinners, but he prefers that I don't stay in the kitchen. There are too many things that can hurt either me or whoever's in there with me. Yeah, I really am that much of a klutz. I would have probably have fallen off the pier if you hadn't been holding onto me. And yes, I've done it before. That's why I had to learn how to swim at a very young age. It didn't matter where I was or what I was wearing, if there was a body of water around me, I was going to end up in it. I can even swim in my shoes, though that's the first thing I'm supposed to get out of when it happens. That's why I like slip-ons.

Okay, serious minute here. I am scared of how going to war is going to affect you. I've met a few veterans, too, with working at the diner, and some of them just seemed shattered. I agree that knowing the possibilities going into it can help. I want you to talk to me about it, even the stuff you want to protect me from. I know you well enough to know that you will try to shield the worst of it from me. I thank you for that. But you need the opportunity to talk with someone about what you've seen and been forced to do without fear of judgment. I think that's one of the reasons some vets do so badly. They refuse to talk about this huge thing that has affected their entire lives, so they can never move on from it. It will hurt me to read of the things you've experienced, but it will hurt me more to know that you are holding something bad inside to protect me. Please, trust me. Serious time over.

I guess its time for the facts of my life. My full name is Isabella Marie Swan, but I prefer Bella. When someone uses my full name, it usually means I'm in trouble. I was born on September 13th. I turn eighteen this year, and I am a senior (yea!). I was born and raised here. You already know about my mom, Renee. My dad is Charlie. We still live in the house they bought when they first married. It was paid off when Mom died, and it's big enough for the two of us, so we figure there's really no need to get something bigger, even though we can afford it. The diner is doing well, like I said earlier, and it keeps us busy. My dad is very aware of how much time I spend working, and makes me limit my hours there to make sure that I still have plenty of time doing "teenage girl stuff". I guess I'm a fairly normal teenage girl, despite the klutziness, except that I don't like shopping. At all. Alice absolutely loves it, so she and Rose go together. I go only when I absolutely have to, like at Christmas time or when its time to get school clothes. I'm actually thinking about just giving Alice a list and money to cover it, and let her do it for me. If I wasn't afraid of what she'd come back with, I just might do it. Maybe now that I have a significant other (what are we? what do you want?), she'll quit trying to get me to dress sexy. Geez, not everyone needs to see my boobs! Oh, God. I wish I wasn't writing in pen and it's just too dang much to re-write. Sorry. Anyway! Onward to your list of questions…

Color: Green, definitely. I'm so glad your ring has the same color as your eyes. I love gazing at it.

Music: I'm the same way. And I loved Ding-a-Ling! I laughed for a week when it first came out! But, now the love songs make me think of you. I've been caught twice now dancing around my room with my pillow, which is even more strange because I can't dance. Plus, Rose and Alice now know that on certain songs that really remind me of you, they have to quit talking. I actually gave Alice a bruise trying to get her to shut up in the car the other day. It's not like they haven't done it before. We have our signal for heaven's sake, she just didn't expect it from me! As for Brandy, before I met you, I was like, "Get over it already." Now, I totally know what she's talking about. I could no more get over you than she can get over him. I bought the 45 for it after I got your letter, and played it on repeat all night. My dad threatened to throw it out the window.

Books: Already told you about this one. I will tell you a secret that only Alice and Rose know, because they have the same secret. We like to share those smutty romances. Some of the stuff they talk about is shocking, but still, just thinking about it makes my heart pound. There goes my blush again. I guess that means I've over-shared again. Sorry.

Favorite memory: Summer vacation before my freshman year. My dad got someone to handle the diner for a week, and we went to California with Rose and Alice. We hung out at the beach and went shopping and just basically had a blast. We drove the whole way, and sang along with the radio the whole way. My dad had to take an extra couple of days off after that to rest up from being around us for a week, but I'll never forget riding along with the windows down, belting out songs with my best friends and dad singing right along.

Favorite Food: Its actually mushroom ravioli, so Italian works for me. My least favorite is fish, and I'm much more likely to end up with that than anything. When my dad is off, he fishes, so there's always a ton of it in the freezer. That's why I eat at the diner more often than not. I imagine that burgers and fries all the time isn't exactly healthy, but if I never saw fish again in my life, I could be happy.

Drink: I'm actually a Pepsi girl, but Coke is good too. I have to really be in the mood for it to drink milk. I take it with my cereal, but that's about it.

I think you should go off-base for your weekend pass. No, I don't like the idea of the girls that I'm sure hang out around the base looking for a handsome soldier to take home for the night, but I trust you. I would rather you not isolate yourself from your friends just because you're worried about me. Plus, it's the last time for a while before you get to really relax. Take that time. You deserve it. Maybe we can set up a phone call.

I miss you, too, Edward. So much. I kiss your picture goodnight every night and hello every morning. Sometimes I hug myself and pretend its you hugging me again. When I read your letter, I can hear you saying it in your beautiful voice that gives me goosebumps. I dream about you every night, which is kind of embarrassing because I talk in my sleep (Alice and Rose have taken to teasing me about the moaning). Ugh! Too much information again. I'm so scared of running you off. You are such a gentleman, and you treat me like a lady, and I love every bit of it. But, I'm not always a lady. I guess that comes from growing up with just a Dad. I never really paid much attention to myself physically before, until you touched me. You literally shocked my body to life, and I'm scared that telling you that will turn you off and make you change your mind about me.

But, I am a very honest person. You can ask anyone who knows me. If they want a straight answer, I'm the person to come to, cause I don't sugarcoat much. So, after much consideration, I decided to be forthcoming with how I reacted to you physically, despite my fear. I would rather you know who I really am, so if you decide you don't want someone like me, you can move on. I'm not saying I'm a tramp! I'm actually still innocent of most everything, except what we did that day, because that was the first time I felt anything like that, much less did anything. And I will only do something like that with someone I care for a great deal and am in some type of relationship with. I refuse to be someone's one-night-stand. I guess I'm a little old-fashioned about that.

Now that I've confused myself I guess I will end this here. Just know that I care about you very much, and think of you constantly. I miss you terribly, and look forward to the day that you come back home. I can't wait to touch your face and be in your arms again. I can't wait to lay my head on your chest and listen to your heart singing to mine. I can't wait to kiss you once again. Be safe.

Always,

Bella


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

August 1, 1972

My Dearest Bella,

I don't even know where to start. I suppose, first, thank you so much for the care package. I was beyond surprised when they called my name and handed it to me. Jasper and Emmett attempted to tackle me for it, but I just managed to escape long enough to open it. Packages are a big deal around here, as I'm sure you can tell. The cookies were a big hit, and were so delicious. They were gone in five minutes, with everyone crowding around. How was I to say no to these guys? Of course, when I brought out your picture, they pushed and shoved to get a glimpse of it. One guy said he'd wear a dress to fight in if it meant he had someone like you waiting for him. This is the same guy who was teasing me so much about the ribbon.

You are so smart, I never even considered laminating the picture to keep it from being harmed. Considering we will be there during the rainy season, this is very good. Of course, out of the entire box, your letter is what I treasure most, with your picture being a close second. You are even more beautiful than I remembered. How is it possible for you to become more beautiful, when you're already perfect?

Emmett and Jasper were ecstatic to receive their letters from Alice and Rose. The dual photo joke was just hilarious. I managed to keep it from them for almost 24 hours, but had to tell them when they were about to come to blows over which one was which. It's a good thing the girls picked who they did, as the guys lined up with it immediately. Jasper keeps going on and on about Alice and what she wrote. He almost came to tears at one point while reading it, though I have no idea what she wrote that brought that reaction. In case you were wondering, we don't let others read our letters. We'll tell others about stuff in there that we're willing to share, but keep private what we wish. We all expect and respect that of each other. So, don't worry about anyone else reading what you write me.

Emmett's reaction to Rose's letter was the complete opposite of Jasper's, but right in line with his personality. He's constantly going on and on about how beautiful she is, how smart she is, how cool she is, she likes cars and racing and sports, etc. I do agree, she is a beautiful girl, but she doesn't hold a candle to you, my love. I just hope she's strong enough to take on Emmett. He needs someone to ground him, sometimes literally. And yes, they did wrap their ribbons around their ankles. And they were both incredibly bummed that they didn't have any hair to send back. Of course, they were the ones who teased me about my hacked up hair our first day, which is how we met and became friends. The first time all three of us were in the shower, with just our dogtags and ribbons on, was hilarious. (Yes, I now wear it even in the shower. I don't want to take the chance of losing it.) Of course, the guys were used to mine by now, but when Emmett and Jasper walked in with theirs, the whole room just died laughing. Emmett's reaction, of course, was, "What?"

Ah, the handwriting. You have no idea how much razzing I've taken over my handwriting. My grandmother actually taught me to write, and I've never really been able to shake the habit. It got bad enough that I would purposely write almost illegibly for my school assignments, but I never even considered it when writing to you. I want you to know the real me, all of me, even the flowery writing. The same as I want to learn everything about you, the good, bad, and naughty. I must say that I was a little surprised at how forward you were, but a good surprised. It is comforting to know that you feel the same for me as I do for you, emotionally and physically. And don't worry about not having the words. The feelings came across clearly throughout your letter. Referring to your question about what "we" are, my immediate response was "What do you want?" And, since I promised to answer the same questions I asked, here is what I want. I want you, Bella, in any way that you'll have me. I want to be your friend, your partner, your boyfriend. Eventually your fiancé, husband, lover. Whatever you choose. Because it really is your choice.

I have a confession to make. Reading about your physical reaction to me caused a physical reaction of my own. Like I said, I was a little shocked at first, but it only served to inflame me that much more. And then to see that you enjoy reading smutty books, oh my.(Send them my way when you're done, if you want. I am very curious about what happens in those books now.) And you are not the only one moaning in the night. I am heartily glad that you are comfortable sharing that with me, and I will assume that it is okay to do the same. If I get too explicit or something, you must tell me, though, okay? I've never had a girlfriend, much less a long-distance one, so I'm not entirely experienced at putting myself on paper like this. There must be no doubt in your mind, Bella, as to my own physical reaction to you. It was everything I could do to keep from devouring you on the pier, to keep my hands from touching you in privileged places. I want to taste your skin, everywhere. Take in your scent as my hands roam over your nakedness. Oh God. I've got to change the subject. I am incredibly excited, and not exactly in a private place. My condition has gotten rather embarrassing.

I was surprised that your band was already practicing, but I guess if football practice starts this early, then band does too. Tell me what you're playing this year; tell me about your half-time show so I can picture it in my mind. I'm glad I got to see your band that one time, so I can picture you in your uniform, marching away with the smallest instrument in the band. Is that where you got the calluses on the tips of your fingers? I noticed it when your fingers were burnt and wondered. And please, tell me about normal day-to-day stuff, okay? It's what we all feel we're missing out on. I want to know about the math test you aced and how you squeaked your piccolo during band practice and how Rose smacked the crap out of some Mike guy who grabbed her butt in the lunch line. (That actually turned Emmett on. The smacking part, not the grabbing part. The grabbing part made him angry. Who knew?)

Thank you for your thoughts and support about my parents. I did write them a brief note, telling them where I was, where I was going, how to contact me in the future, and about you. I didn't talk at all about what happened or how it made me feel. In fact, it could probably have been called "civil" at most. Not hateful or hurtful, but certainly not like everything was just great, either. And you were right, I am glad I made the effort. If something happened to me, at least I would have one less regret. And while we're talking about serious stuff, it is hard for me to think about telling you stuff that would upset you, but I understand and appreciate where you're coming from. I will share with you, I will talk to you. I won't block you out. And I do trust you. I just feel very protective of you, and that means I want to protect you from everything that could be hurtful. So, I've come to the decision that maybe a compromise would be the best solution. I am willing to talk with you if you're willing to not press for details that I am hesitant to give. I suspect I will be seeing things that will haunt me forever, and I refuse to have those same images haunt you. But I also believe you are right in saying that I need someone I can talk to about it, without being judged for what I've had to do, much less for being there in the first place. So, in this as I asked for regarding our physical intimacy, if I become too explicit, you must tell me immediately. I do not want to upset you or scare you. To do so would upset me more than being in a hellish situation.

Speaking of trust and hellish situations, our weekend leave has been cancelled. They are shortening our basic training because we are needed so badly overseas, so instead of having that weekend off, we'll actually be leaving for Vietnam on that Sunday. Most of the guys were really disappointed with the lost opportunity to spend some time with the local girls, but the three of us really didn't care. I suspect my friends have found someone to focus on and fight for, as I have. So, there is no need to be concerned about us going wild on our weekend leave. I suspect the wildest thing the three of us would do is have a couple of beers and come back to get some sleep. You wouldn't believe how noisy a room with forty guys in it is at night.

Another confession: hearing that your dad is an ex-cop scared the crap out of me, especially since he saw us at the pier. It took me a couple of minutes to remind myself that you'd said that he was cool with what had happened between us. I was glad, though, that he can protect you from the bad things that happen in the world, especially with the men returning from war whose minds have shattered. I must say, though, that you have me very curious as to the wisdom regarding your family line that he imparted. But I understand, and when you're ready to share that, I will be ready to listen.

The thought of your clumsiness makes me smile. I'm sure most of the time its no laughing matter to you, but the thought of you falling off the pier regularly just makes me chuckle, at least until I realize that you could have drowned. So, dear Bella, please try to be careful. When I come back, I will always be there to catch you, but until then, try your hardest not to trip. The only falling I want you to do is falling in love with me. There, I said the word. The one we've both been dancing around. For as much as I wish I could say this to you in person, I know that I would regret not saying it if something were to happen. And please do not feel obligated to return it in kind. My hesitance has nothing to do with doubt as to my feelings. It is more that, again, I am scared of pushing you too fast, of making you run away from me. However, I simply can't hold back the words anymore. Bella, I love you. I've loved you before I even knew you. I knew who you were the moment our eyes met and grew only more certain in the time we spent together. Getting on that bus was the hardest thing I've ever done in my life, and I swear to you that, if you'll have me, I will never leave you again. I cannot live without my other half. You are my life now.

As much as it pains me, I must close this letter. Mail call is coming soon and I want to get this in the mail today. Please know that you are in my mind constantly. You are the first thing I think of when I wake and the last thing I think of when I fall asleep. I dream of you nightly. I dream of holding you, kissing you, making love with you. I dreamt last night that we got married. I know its all too fast. But you are there, inside every cell in me, and I cannot wait until I see you again. I love you, Bella. I will always love you.

Yours,

Edward


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: I don't own Twilight, it owns me.

Reader Beware: This story is "M" for a reason! Apparently, I write pretty hot smut, according to my husband. Just a touch of it here… but things will get hot soon! Enjoy!

Chapter 5

August 12, 1972

My Dearest Edward,

You ship out tomorrow, and I cannot help but be sad. It is bad enough that you are three states away, and now you'll be going to the other side of the world. I will, of course, be sending this to your overseas address, and I know that the time between letters will be much longer. I will continue to write, even if I do not get a letter. I want you to know that I am thinking of you always.

I knew immediately Thursday that Alice and Rose had gotten their letters, too, from the way they looked. We are very disappointed that they moved up your ship out date. We had actually planned to meet up with you this weekend, and were supposed to fly down yesterday afternoon. We talked about going down anyway, to maybe try to see you on the way to the airport, and then figured out that you would probably be leaving directly from the base. We could have gone down and just enjoyed a couple of days off before starting school next week, but it just didn't feel right. Even Alice wasn't enthused about going, despite the opportunity to stop at different stores than what we have here. We went ahead and went to Seattle instead and did our school clothes shopping. It wasn't too bad this time, with Alice being a bit subdued. And sure enough, she didn't get clothes that would be misleading to others, for me or for her. Rose's choices were pretty normal for her, though they were a touch more conservative. Of course, she's got the body to pull off anything, so it really doesn't matter what she wears. I think my girls have become enamored with your boys. We're all praying that all three of you come home safely. When you do come home, you'll have to bring them with you, or Rose and Alice are liable to hurt you.

Again, I have no words to describe how your letter makes me feel. Your adoring words are so sweet to me. I can feel you caressing my face as you whisper them in my ear. Every girl wishes for a man who can put words to his softer feelings, and you do so so beautifully that I feel unworthy of such rapture. But no matter how unworthy I may feel, I am not about to turn it away. You make my heart sing and my soul shine with the love that you give me. I bask in that love like a kitten in a patch of sun. I can hardly believe that someone as wonderful as you would fall in love with me, but I cannot deny your feelings any more than I can deny my own. And yes, Edward, I do love you. I will always love you. That is what my father had to tell me that day. My family, as a rule, falls in love the same way: fast, hard, and permanently. It has happened for at least the last, now, four generations. My father knew within a day of meeting my mother that he wanted to marry her, though it took her three weeks to agree to just go out on a date with him. And even though they divorced, he was and still is in love with her. He may find someone to love and spend his life with, but it will never be the kind of love that he found with my mother, the kind I've found with you. I love you so very much, it consumes me. When something interesting happens, my first thought is to share it with you, and wishing you were here to share it with me.

As you can see, I've included several books, as requested. The idea of you reading some of what I've read is titillating. As was the thought of you naked save for your ribbon (I only pictured you, not anyone else. There is no one else I want to see like that.) However, it was the image of you being…excited that got to me the most. Oh, Edward, how my hands long to touch you, and my mouth pleads for your taste. I find my body instinctively doing things to ease the tension. Last night, after bedtime and my father was asleep, I, for the first time ever, brought myself pleasure, imagining your hands, your mouth upon me, your body pressed against me, inside of me, the entire time. Even now, though I am as red as a beet telling you of such intimate things, my body heats and quivers at the thought of you loving me. I had heard, of course, of indulging in self-pleasure, though not in much detail. Certainly not enough to know how to go about doing it. And yet, I just imagined your hands on me, and paid attention to what brought me closer to an event I had only heard of. When I crested, I cried out your name to the world, and knew that I would never be the same. I can say with certainty that I fell asleep with a smile and a sigh of contentment. Too explicit? I don't mean to tease, much. I'd always wondered why "fallen" women seemed so much more relaxed. Now I know.

Oh, what to talk about next after a topic such as that. Oh, I'll tell you about my telling off a customer yesterday afternoon at the diner. A couple of guys returning from war came in for dinner during a bus layover. They were perfectly mannered gentlemen, don't worry. (By the way, Dad has brought a pistol to the diner just in case someone disturbed comes in. We talked about the effects that war can have on the soldiers, in relation to our (yours and mine) conversation, and after that discussion and some serious thought, he felt that such protection would not be unwise. And yes, I do know how to shoot it, so I am unlikely to shoot myself with it, should I need to defend myself.)

Anyway, back to the returning soldiers. We had several other customers at the time, and everything was going just fine until I managed to drop a plate. The sudden loud noise caused all three of them to instinctively duck. I felt horrible that I had triggered such a response, until a woman at one of the other tables started laughing at them and pointing! This wasn't a young girl, mind you, but a middle aged woman. This, of course, embarrassed the soldiers and made them very uncomfortable, as well as the other customers. Well, I snapped. I took the plate I had just given her away, which at least made her stop laughing. To her question as to why I was taking her plate away, I proceeded to tell her that we don't serve people who do not respect and support our soldiers, that they have been subjected to experiences that we could only imagine in our worst nightmares, and that they should not be subjected to her crassness of laughing at them for a reaction that, in the war, would be likely to save their lives. I then informed her that we reserved the right to refuse service to anyone we chose, and I was refusing to serve her, and she needed to leave immediately.

Of course, she didn't appreciate this coming from a 17 yr old girl, and started to get irate back at me, until my father stepped in. He'd come out of the kitchen to see what had happened with the dropped plate and heard the whole thing. He promptly told her that I did, indeed, have the right to decline to serve her, and to remove herself from the diner immediately, or else he'd be forced to call the police and have her forcibly removed. Then she starts demanding to see the owner, that she was going to get us fired, yada yada yada. It was pretty damn funny when dad told her that he was the owner, and he wasn't about to fire himself, or me, for standing up to an uppity bitch with no class. She couldn't speak after that, and grabbed her purse and her highly embarrassed husband, and left. At the door, the husband turned around and faced my father and apologized, and then faced the soldiers and apologized to them, as well as thanking them for their service.

As soon as the door closed behind him, the whole diner started clapping and whistling. I was a bit embarrassed about my outburst, but I couldn't stand to have them treated like that, not when I could do something about it. We, of course, comp'ed the soldiers meal, apologizing for the nastiness of the woman, to which they said that no apology was necessary. In fact, they had tears in their eyes, saying that this was the first time someone had stood up for them when someone else had ridiculed them. Apparently it had happened several times since their return stateside as they traveled homeward. Later that night, my father put up a sign in the window that said, "We support our troops. Anyone not supporting them can either shut up or go away." I was concerned that it would hurt the business, but dad said that even if we did lose business, he'd rather not serve idiots like her again.

Speaking of idiots, have you heard back from your parents? I probably shouldn't speak ill of them, but I just cannot forgive the pain they've caused you, and I do think they're idiots for turning their back on such a wonderful man. I know that when the time comes, I will have to put aside my own emotions in favor of supporting your decisions regarding them, but they just make me so mad! Maybe when I'm up there in November (we play there this year), I'll track them down and give them a swift kick in the rump. Metaphorically. Or maybe not. That really isn't the best way to go about making a good impression on your boyfriend's parents, huh?

I agree to your compromise regarding the conversations we have regarding your memories of your time in the war. I can appreciate your need to protect me from the worst of the events, and it should still allow you to get the bad things off your chest so you can heal. I think it's a good compromise, so I agree to it. And like your letters, I will keep what we speak of private, unless specifically agreed upon or it seems to be okay to share. If I mis-judge something, though, you must tell me immediately. I will confess that Rose, Alice, and I share a great deal since we've been together for so long, and I may share something with them that you may prefer not. If that happens, again, you must tell me. I do not want unnecessary friction between us any more than I want to have things undisclosed between us. I feel that we are sharing all that we are together right now, and I love that. With each letter I receive, I feel evermore closer to you, closer to your heart and mind, and our souls melding into one. You are a permanent part of me now. There is no longer a Bella without Edward, for you are an integral piece of each cell within my body, of every thought in my mind, of every emotion from my heart. I love you with everything that I am, and I will always love you just like that. Come home to me, Edward. I am empty without you.

Evermore,

Bella


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: I don't own Twilight. Duh. First real lemon coming… heh heh

Chapter 6

September 10, 1972

My Love,

I love how you start your letters: no "Hello, How are you? I'm fine" blah-blah-blah. You just start talking as if I'm right there beside you, and it makes me feel as if I actually am. It's like we're actually just continuing a conversation, which I suppose that is exactly what we are doing. I am so sorry its taken so long to write back. You are quite right in saying that the posting time takes longer, and plus I am not always in a location in which I can write. We have gone out on several short excursions, if you will, and there is no time or opportunity to write in those conditions. Plus, the weather makes it impossible, too. I considered asking you to have your letters laminated before sending them, but I wouldn't be able to carry them with me when we go out into the field, and decided against it. I would rather carry you with me and have to be careful about the conditions in which I pull them out than to leave them behind. One of the experienced guys showed us how to make a waterproof pouch that we can wear to keep stuff like that. Some of the guys that have been here a while are pretty rough, but my CO is really cool. It wasn't until we got here that the three of us realized how against the odds it was for the three of us to actually go into the same unit. We do our best to watch each others' backs. Some of the older guys ignore the new ones because so many new recruits do not make it long. Talk about a reality check. But, like I said, the three of us are standing together, making sure that we'll all return healthy and whole.

I certainly never really understood the realities of war, and especially not this one. I can't explain much or the censor will black it out. We went to a village about a week ago that was suspected of harboring enemy soldiers. It was my first real skirmish. It became very evident that fighting this war isn't going to be easy because we just can't tell which side a person is on based upon their physical appearance. Obviously, the North Vietnamese look the same as the South Vietnamese. Plus, its not just men fighting. You can't trust anyone outside of our own troops. Not even families with children. One of the other new guys learned that the hard way when a woman handed him an infant and then ran off. The old guys kept screaming at him to throw the child as far away from us as possible. We simply couldn't understand why, until the child, and the soldier targeted, exploded. Apparently it is not unusual to use defenseless children as methods of getting through our defensive barriers. They said that if someone ever hands us something and then runs off to throw it as far away as possible as quickly as possible as its likely to have been rigged to explode. We did eradicate the enemy from that village, we think.

Bella, I had a shoot a person. He looked no older than I and just as scared. But he had a gun pointed at us, and I had no choice. You cannot believe the price taken on my soul. That was the first night I had nightmares. Emmett and Jasper are in not much better shape. We couldn't eat that evening and getting to sleep was an exercise in frustration. It wasn't until we decided to set up a watch shift between the three of us that the other two could get some sleep, even though we were at our base camp. I talked yesterday with one of the "old" guys, and he gave me some tips on how to cope with what we see and what we are forced to do. The basic gist of it is to not think of them as people, basically de-humanize them. And I have to see his point. Those who are caught in war seem less than human, reduced down to their animalistic roots. And for the things that I am forced to do personally, it helps to recognize the behavior as outside of my self. How do I explain it. Basically, what I have to do is what it required by the group that I belong to and is not a reflection of who I am as a person. In other words, Edward the soldier will have to do things that Edward the person would never consider, and I will have to accept that those things were necessary to stay alive. What I am forced to do doesn't reflect on who I am as a person. I don't want to be a monster. The trick is to maintain that distance. It is the guys who lose that differentiation that end up messed up. Of course, it is harder for infantry men to deal with because we see the results of our actions personally, while those who do bombing runs and such are distanced from the effects.

This guy also warned me about something called Agent Orange. Its used to defoliate the trees, so that the enemy can't hide so easily. (The trees here are much like our forests in Washington, except that its much warmer here. And it rains just as much. I am very lucky that I am used to it. Emmett and Jasper aren't, and they're struggling with how to deal with keeping their things dry.) Back to the AO, apparently, this stuff can make us sick, so if they're dropping it where we are, we need to cover up with our rain poncho as much as possible and try to keep it off our skin. It'll accumulate on the poncho, but if we let the rain clean it off without touching it, we should be okay.

Okay, on to more pleasant things. You were right, by the way. Being able to talk about that stuff allows me to put it aside so I can focus on other, better, things. Like your letter. Jesus, Bella! When I'd finished reading it, I had to kick Emmett and Jasper out of the tent for some privacy! I guess it's a guy thing, as they've both done it to me. I had never imagined you doing that, and now its almost all I can think of! Other than it being me that brings you such pleasure. You star in my dreams every night, and more than once have I woken in the middle of the night and had to take care of a growing problem. I was embarrassed the first couple of times (going back to before our deployment) but with it just being guys here, we're all pretty much in the same situation, and its no big deal now. Well, its not small either. It's, um, yeah. Sorry for the locker room humor. I've obviously been around just men for too long.

Your disappointment at not getting to come see us prior to deployment could only be rivaled by our own. When we read that, which oddly enough happened at almost the same time, we all groaned and griped. I would have loved to have seen you again, even if only for a little while. To think that I missed the opportunity to hold you in my arms and kiss your sweet lips is heartbreaking to me. At least I'm lucky in that I've actually met you. The guys are still afraid that the girls will decide that they don't like them after all once they actually get to meet. And I'll admit that it's a viable worry. Obviously, as much as they have come to care for each other via their writing, if there is no chemistry between them, the relationship cannot progress beyond that of friendship. I try not to think about the whole issue too much as it brings up my own self-doubts and fear, and only makes me miss you that much more. Can a person die of longing for another? Because surely I am a potential victim if it can actually happen.

I laughed for a long time picturing you yelling at that woman in the diner. You just seem so soft-spoken and shy, but there is a tiger hidden within you that only comes out when provoked. I got to see her briefly that day when things got heated between us, and I long to tangle with her once again. And if you were unaware of it, Rose and Alice were shocked and unbelievably proud of you. They both told the guys about it. It thrills me that my little kitten has claws. Maybe I'll have that done for a tattoo: a cat's claw ripping into the flesh. What do you think?

By the way, the smut books are a total hit over here. I gave Jasper and Emmett the other two and kept the one you recommended. We had finished them within three days and then switched. When it got out to the other guys what we were reading, there was some teasing, until Jasper read one of the sex scenes aloud. Now there's a waiting list for them for when we're done.

I mentioned the incident at the diner with the returning vets to one of the "older" guys, and he said that he'd heard about returning soldiers being mistreated by civilians, too. Apparently, those who disagree with the war are taking that anger out on the soldiers, as if we have any say in who we're fighting or why. Of course, the three of us idiots chose to enlist, but a huge portion of the guys here were drafted and had no choice. It's really sad to think about. And speaking of non-supportive people, I actually did receive a letter from my mother. Apparently, my father is still very disappointed in me, but she has rethought her response and heavily regrets what was said and done. She thinks that my father's response has more to do with fear for me than actual disappointment, but the result is still much the same. She was, however, thrilled that I wrote, and about you. She is going to try to talk Dad into going to the game so they can meet you. That should be interesting and awkward. I am so thankful that you urged me to write to them, and that Mom at least has come around. I guess at least a part of the blame for the entire reaction thing lies with me, since they were unaware that I was considering it until after I'd already made the commitment and nothing could be done to change it. I can certainly see how it would upset them.

More good news from her: she spoke with UW (even before she'd received my letter) and arranged with them a deferment of entrance until the first semester after my enlistment is up. So, like you, I have a spot waiting for me when I get back. I was shocked that she was able to do that, but she said between my good grades, high test scores, and our financial standing, it wasn't too difficult to secure their cooperation. Personally, I think my mother is an even better negotiator than my father. She definitely gets her way a lot.

I think I like your dad already, and I can't wait to meet him. His unconditional love and support of you, coupled with his protectiveness of you, is enough to make me like him, even if we haven't spoken. He is the kind of dad I want to be.

I am thrilled that you were comfortable sharing what your dad said about your family lineage, and about what that information meant for us. It was as reassuring to me as I imagine it was for you. And also as worrisome. I promise you, Bella, that I will do everything in my power to come back to you. I will not force you to live in this world alone. But, at the same time, Bella, if something does happen, please go on with your life. All I really want is for you to be happy, as much as possible. And as much as the thought rips me to pieces, I would rather you find love again, get married, have babies, and have a great life, rather than pine away for me for the rest of your life. That would be wasting your life, baby, and I cannot let you do that. So, promise me, Bella, promise me that if something happens that you will go on. And I'm not talking that I expect you to move on immediately. But, eventually, when you've healed some. My heart rips in two at the thought of you being alone the rest of your life. I love you, my sweet Bella. All I need is you.

And you being unworthy of me?? Not in a million years, Bella. You don't see yourself very clearly. You are worthy of so much more than I could ever hope to be, Sweetheart, but I'm too selfish to let you go. You are my every dream, every hope. You make me want to be the best person I can be, the best husband, the best friend, the best lover. You are everything that I hope for and dream of. Literally. (Um, explicit stuff coming, skip to the end of you're not comfortable.) I dreamt last night of our wedding. You were so beautiful in a simple white gown, your glorious hair piled atop your head and cascading down your back, revealing your delicate neck and shoulders. We got married on the pier, with just our closest friends and family around us. I only had eyes for you, and when the minister announced us husband and wife, I kissed you so softly, the love between us was so palpable. And then I simply couldn't get enough of you. I couldn't stop touching you, kissing you, inhaling your scent.

When I opened my eyes again, we were alone in a hotel room. I gently pulled the pins from your hair, allowing it to surround us. I kissed my way down the sweet length of your neck, and down onto your delicate shoulders, allowing my hands to roam down your arms, and then very slowly up your torso, until they gently cupped your beautiful breasts. Your breathing turned heavy and you began to moan as I touched you in ways I'd only dreamed of before. I carefully stripped your beautiful dress from your perfect body, leaving you in your lingerie set of matching ivory bra, panties, and garter belt with stockings, before I placed you in the middle of the bed. I thought I might die of desire at that point, as I quickly stripped down to my own underwear and joined you. I thought I'd gone to heaven as I pressed my body against yours, loving the feel of the softness of you against the hardness of me. Our kisses grew more heated as our desires flared into an inferno of touching and tasting, removing the remaining barriers to feeling every inch of your skin against my own.

The first time I touched your feminine wetness, the first time I've ever touched a woman in this manner, I thought I would lose my own control, but I managed to hold back. As I explored your folds, I watched your face and listened to your breath to learn what brought you pleasure and what you wanted. Then you begged me, "Please!" and lifted your hips closer to my hand. I slipped a single finger into your core and you immediately came apart in my arms, crying out my name. I have never seen anything so beautiful as your face as you meet your crest, and a sound so perfect as you crying out my name. Again, I found myself fighting for control over my body, When you'd come down from your high, you pulled me atop you, kissing me with all the passion in your small body, wrapping your sweet legs around me. I held my body above yours using my elbows and knees, not wanting to crush you beneath my weight.

I knew I had to be careful. I may be as innocent as you in performing this act, but I've learned from those who spoke of their own experiences around me. I knew you would likely have some pain, even bleed a bit, but that I could minimize that pain by going slow and ensuring that you were at your peak again before trying to break through your barrier. With this one purpose in mind, I worked your body, touching and kissing your breasts, stroking your delicate folds with my fingers, and then with my manhood. You were nearing your second release when I began to enter you, and it was the most perfect feeling in the world. I could never have imagined that being wrapped up in your warm wetness would feel so good, and I hadn't even entered you fully yet.

I gently worked my way in, giving you time to become accustomed to my size, stretching you ever so slowly. I felt when I met your barrier and continued my slow pulsing, bringing you closer to your pinnacle while I tried to gird myself against the loss of control I feared. Just when I thought I had a firm hand on my control, I felt your inner muscles begin squeezing me, and heard your moans increase and deepen. Just as you reached your peak, I broke through your barrier, ramming myself home, fully sheathed in the perfection that is your body. I couldn't force myself to stop and wait to make sure you were okay; all I could do was pull back and then slam back in. You, however, didn't even flinch as I breached your innocence, and actually seemed to maintain your orgasm as I began wildly thrusting into you, all vestiges of control gone.

I have never, in my life, felt something so heavenly. Your body relaxed a bit, reveling in the feel of my body working over yours, inside of you, touching your very soul. That relaxation allowed me to regain just a bit of my control. We found a rhythm together, moving as one, as if we'd made love a thousand times together. Sweat began to drip off our bodies, sliding against each other in a delicious friction. I could feel your hands roaming around my back, arms and into my hair, occasionally digging your nails into my skin when I hit a particularly pleasurable spot. All I could hear was the sound of our moans and the sound of our bodies slapping against each other. All I could taste was you; the scent of our lovemaking was palpable in the air. My eyes couldn't look away you're your ethereal beauty, your face tensed in passion, lips swollen and red from our kisses, your pert breasts bouncing with each thrust of my body into yours. My senses were entirely overwhelmed.

The coil of tension I had fought with all evening continued to tighten, and I knew that my own release was not long in coming. However, I wanted your release more than my own, so I pulled one of your knees up closer to our chests, opening you even more to me, allowing me to go even deeper into the ecstasy I had found in your body. I don't know how, but I was able to hold back until I felt your inner muscles begin to tighten around me yet again, pushing my own pleasure higher and higher. And then, we shattered together, calling each other's names as we held each other as tightly as possible, riding the high that we'd reached together.

Slowly, ever so slowly, we came back down to Earth, sated beyond anything imaginable, our bodies still rocking together, but gently now, slowing to a stop. As our breathing slowed and I was able to open my eyes once again, I found you gazing back into mine, with all the love in your soul shining through, telling me, convincing me, that you love me beyond measure. The kiss we shared then was the sweetest I've ever imagined. I took a moment to clean both of us up, and then pulled the sheets up around us as I lay back on the pillows with your head nestled on my chest, your hair spread across both of us, binding us together. With one last hug, a whispered "I love you," and a kiss atop your sweet head, we drifted off to sleep, secure in our love for each other and our place in the world.

As you can see, it was a heck of a dream. When I awoke, I wore a massive grin, and had a considerable mess in my shorts. And it was worth it, having the memory of what could be. I think of our future all the time, Bella, because I believe in it. I know, in my heart, we will have that future together, loving each other, growing old, having children, all of it. And every time I think of it, my heart grows with love and happiness, just a bit more. I love you so very much, Bella.

As usual, I must go, no matter how unwillingly. Please, be safe, sweet Bella, and know that I love you more than my own life. And Happy Birthday, my sweet girl. We will have to wait to celebrate until I get home, but we will celebrate. I hope you enjoy your day.

Always Yours,

Edward


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: I do not own Twilight. I only own Twilight stuff.

Things are getting hot around here! Enjoy!

Chapter 7

October 1, 1972

My Love,

Oh my gosh. I'm so glad you warned me about the dream part. I was reading your letter for the first time while on break at work, and I think my cheeks would still be red if I had read that near someone else. As it was, when I read it, I, uh, peaked, without even touching myself. I didn't know that was possible. Since then, I've used it every night to play with. Your descriptions were so detailed, it was as if I could feel exactly what was happening on my own skin. I will attempt to translate one of my own dreams later on. It probably won't be as good as what you wrote, but hell, you write better than some of those smut authors I've read!

It's taken a couple of days for me to respond this time because of homework and band. School is going okay, about the same. You would have found people's response to my hair braids hilarious. Some started calling me "Hippie" and asking if I were doing drugs, while others just didn't believe that not only did I have a boyfriend, but that he was a soldier and overseas. Several accused me of making you up, but frankly, you're too good to have been made up by me. They shut up pretty fast when I produced your DOD picture. Their reactions to Alice and Rose being in identical situations were just as funny, except they weren't so surprised that either of them had boyfriends. They have both dated in the past, and Rose had one semi-serious relationship with a guy name Royce (he cheated on her and hit her once. That's when she learned how to punch.)

My birthday was pretty quiet, which was exactly how I like it. I hate it when people spend money on me, and being the center of attention, so birthdays are not my idea of fun. We went to see a movie that they were waiting for me to turn 18 to go see called "Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex but Were Afraid to Ask". Oh my god, Edward! I was red for three days after that! It was also incredibly funny, but still! To say the least, I learned a few things, but have no idea if they are actually real or just a spoof from the movie. Do people actually have sex with sheep?? Alice happened to be taking a drink when that part came on, and she spewed all over the poor people in front of us. And Rose kept going on and on about how she was going to pee in her pants, but it was too good to get up and go to the bathroom. I guess now that I'm 18, I can do all kinds of depraved things. I cussed in front of dad yesterday when I tripped and he just laughed at me instead of fussing about my speech. Amazing.

I'm glad you've found an experienced soldier to learn from. It'll help keep you safer for me. And I'm glad the three of you are sticking together. I'm sure your circumstances are so pressured that you'll either come out of it as brothers or be ready to kill each other and never speak to each other again. I'm hoping for the first option. I have heard about that Agent Orange stuff. It's seems to have caused quite a few soldiers to get sick. I also heard, however, that they were going to stop using it, since most of the places that needed to be cleared have been already. Please be careful with that stuff. I'm glad he warned you about it and how to limit your exposure to it. I wouldn't eat any fresh food either, since it likely came from Vietnam and might have been contaminated. But I'm sure you've heard all about it from your officers.

I must confess that I cried for several hours about your first excursion experience. I had no idea they were using children like that. I knew war could get ugly, in my mind, but to really see how ugly it could get is heartrending. And no, I don't want you to stop telling me about your experiences. In a way, I am crying for you, since you really don't have the opportunity to do so there. So pass the hurt on to me, and I'll excise it away from us. Apparently Jasper's reaction was even more extreme than yours. Alice got his letter yesterday and she spent the night with me because she couldn't quit crying over his hurt. It doesn't help that he lost his infant brother a few years ago (crib death), so babies are even more precious to him.

I don't know what to say regarding having to shoot that guy. I don't even know how to say it properly. I guess we could give it a euphemism? How about "EC" for enemy casualty. Would that work? I know its going to be something we'll have to talk about again. It's not like the military is going to send you home after one skirmish. And, just in case you are worried about it, Edward, I admire you for standing up and serving our country. I do not think less of you for having had to participate in the action. I am proud of you, Sweetheart. I mourn for the loss happening on both sides, and the idea of war in general, but I do not blame you for doing what you need to do to survive. I love you, and I want you to do whatever you have to do to come home to me. And if it is something you need to hear, I forgive you for taking a life. Really, there is nothing to forgive. I forgive you for being a part of this horrible situation and have to do what is necessary to come home. I do not blame you. I am proud of you. I admire you. I love you.

I am so excited about you going to UW with me when you get back! See, our future is working itself out and we'll be just fine. Thank you for having faith in our future. It's a beautiful way to convey the hope I have for us. I believe in us as well, and I can't wait to start our lives together.

Hmm. The mundane things going on that you asked for. Eleven Isreali athletes at the Olympics were killed by an Arab terrorist group. A fighter jet at an air show in California didn't take off right and plowed into an ice cream parlor, killing over 20 people, most of them kids. A new gameshow called "The Price is Right" has started. It looks pretty cool. It's on during the week in the morning, but I got to see it the other day when I was home sick with a cold. We've had four football games so far. We won three of those, and I managed not to trip during the half-time show. We're doing a compilation of music from the Roaring 20's, and it's pretty lively. I actually have to do some marching this year, but so far I'm doing okay.

The cheerleaders are dancing along with us for one of the songs, and they have to dress up for it with a bunch of fringe and short dresses and all that. Alice looks like she came from that era, but Rose looks a little out of place for the first time in her life. She's just too stately. Until she opens her mouth. Gosh that girl can cuss! Every time I see their dance, I'm glad all over again that I stood firm on the whole "join the cheer squad" thing. That wasn't gonna happen.

Rose decked Mike (again) for grabbing her ass (again) and threatened to castrate him if he did it again. Then he started coming on to me, saying that if I'm finally interested in men, he could show me how a real man can take care of me. (Don't get your shorts in a twist, the good part's coming.) I let him have his say. When he was done, I told him that there was no way in hell I would ever be interested in anything he had to offer, and if he ever spoke to me again about anything not having to do with school, I would break his nose, and report him to the school for sexual harassment. Dumb ass didn't believe me, because he tried to grab MY ass when I turned to walk away. So, I followed through with my threat. He now has a badly broken nose, two black eyes, and has been suspended from school for two weeks. The suspension wouldn't have been so bad, but eight other girls, other than Rose, went to the principal to complain about him harassing them too. We ran into each other at the grocery store, and he ran away from me. Dumbass. My dad was a cop. He taught me how to defend myself, and Rose, Alice, and I have twice monthly practice sessions with him to keep up our skills. Alice may be little, but she is freakin' vicious, so remind Jasper not to really tick her off. He might get hurt.

About the guys worrying about whether they'll connect with the girls when they finally meet face to face, the girls are in the same boat. They worry about it, too. They (the girls) really like the guys for who they are inside, and they do worry about making a connection outside of the letters. Will they get along okay, what if Rose thinks he's an idiot (as she does most other men), will Jasper want to go shopping with Alice, etc? We'll just have to wait and see.

Hmm, I don't really know how I feel about a tattoo. I've actually never considered it in a loved one. But a tattoo marking you as mine, even if it is just you and I that know the significance of the design, that turns me on more than I can say. So, if I'm your kitten, how are you planning on making me purr? Meow?

It sounds like I've come to the place where I repay you for that yummy dream. First, the sweet stuff. You made me cry about your dreaming of marrying me. As I've told you before, I have never felt so adored. You can make me feel more with just a touch or a whisper than many women experience in their entire lives. The gentleness you spoke of made me feel incredibly cherished and loved, and I thank you for giving me that. I love you so much.

And now, for the sassy stuff. Hmm, what to write about. I could tell you about one of my dreams, I've had several hot ones, but they are all essentially the same experience with only slight variations. I love the sweet, loving, "making love" ones, but I also love the hot, grinding, animalistic "fucking" ones. That may come as a surprise, I suppose. So many men think women only want the sweet, slow loving, and the hot animals are reserved for the whores. Well, that's just bullshit. Women who enjoy sex probably enjoy both types. Like everything else, it's going to depend upon her mood which one she wants. SO, shall it be the kitten or the tiger today? Well, you made me purr with yours, so maybe I can make you roar with mine. And, by the way, I hope you're not terribly shocked. For someone as innocent as I am, this little story may come across pretty raunchy, but hey, it was my dream, and I read a lot of smut.

It's a Friday night, after a football game that you made the winning touchdown in. You've showered and changed, and we've gone back to my house to "hang out" as my father has gone fishing for the weekend and won't be back until Sunday. The sexual tension is thick between us. We manage to get inside the door before we come together in an explosion of hands, mouths, and tongues. I rip several buttons off your shirt in my hurry to get it off of you while we barely break apart long enough to get my blouse off. The pants are easier, though we get stuck for several moments because we forget about the shoes that need to come off first. When you are finally fully bare (and fully erect, though I'm positive you've been erect since the ride home, what with me nibbling on your ear and my hands on your thighs), I drop to my knees in front of you. You lean against the door, bracing yourself for what you hope is coming.

I explore your body with my hands and then my lips and tongue, learning the texture and taste of the skin around your hips, down your thighs, behind your knees. I cannot help but moan as I draw in your scent, which is intensified by your sexual excitement. Your scent is my favorite scent in the world, as is your taste. I drag my tongue up the inside of your thigh before, finally reaching my intended destination. I nuzzle and nip at your scrotum, before soothing the nipped skin with the tip of my tongue. Meanwhile, my hands have begun exploring your shaft, learning its weight and thickness, becoming accustomed to handling this most private part of you. Your hands are clenched at your sides, while your heavy breathing and the muscles in your abdomen show me your response to the sensations I am creating. When I hit a particularly pleasurable spot, you growl deep in your chest, making me tremble with my own need for you.

With careful slowness, I drag my tongue from the base of your cock all the way up to the tip, where a bead of your own wetness has appeared. Intrigued, I lap the drop up with my tongue, discovering the sweetest taste known to man, or rather, woman, and I can't help but moan. Your reaction to this tells me that you are loving what I am doing to you, and you might not last much longer. With that, I pull the head of your cock into my mouth, taking as much of you into my mouth and throat as I can. The remainder is wrapped in my warm hands, which are stroking in tandem with my mouth as I move up and down upon your beautiful maleness. Your hands have buried themselves into my hair and have begun clenching and unclenching, just like a cat when it's being rubbed just right. Your head is bowed and your eyes are glued to the spot where your dick disappears between my swollen lips, while my eyes are focused on your beautiful face. Your moans are now continuous and I can feel the thundering of your heart.

I run my tongue along the veins on the shaft, licking your cock like a huge ice cream cone, though this is better than any ice cream I've ever had. I pull your cock further back into my throat as I take every centimeter I can. On the back stroke, I let my teeth gently scrape along the skin of your shaft. This brings about a loud growl and your legs begin to tremble. Your release is so near that you, ever the gentleman, begin to try to ease my mouth away from you, but that is not what I want. I want to suck down and swallow every last drop of your love for me. I clench my hands around your hips, grabbing your ass in both hands, claws out, giving me the perfect leverage to work your cock in and out of my mouth.

After only a moment, your body arches backward, your head hitting the door though you don't seem to notice, and your hands clench hard in my hair, turning me on all that much more. With a strangled cry, you howl my name as you explode in my mouth, filling it with your seed, as I continue the bobbing motion and tongue action to prolong your orgasm as long as possible. After a couple of moments, you relax back, slowly pulling your cock out of my mouth, and slide your way to the floor before me. Your eyes are closed, your face completely relaxed, your body seemingly boneless. Your breathing slows, though occasionally a tremor rocks through you, aftershocks of the intense climax you've just had.

I am literally dripping down my thighs by this point. I divest myself of my bra and now-sopping panties and sit down on the stairway a couple of feet away from you, but in full sight, whenever you happen to open your eyes. After taking a moment to gather your senses, you lift your lids to find me sprawled on the stairs, one hand caressing my breast and the other playing with my wet folds. You can't seem to make up your mind whether you want to watch me get myself off or if you want to do that for me.

You finally decide what you want, coming to your knees at the foot of the stairs and run your hands up my legs, over my belly, and to my breasts. There, you tease and pull on my nipples until they are brightly colored and hard as stones. You soon replace your hands with your mouth, sucking my nipple in and running your tongue along the nub. Meanwhile, your hands have found my core, discovering that not only do I look wet, I am actually drenched and more than ready to come. I grab your hair with both hands, gently pushing down to tell you where I want your mouth, giving you the option.

Giving me a wide grin, you lower your mouth to my pelvis, nibbling on my hip bones and placing small, sweet kisses down the crease of my leg, until your lips meet mine in an erotic kiss. You groan at my taste as I groan at the feel of your tongue in this most sensitive spot. After taking several long, deep licks, gathering my honey onto your tongue greedily, you focus your attention on the nub at the top of my slit. The sensation is so overwhelming that I arch almost right off the stairs, a loud cry escaping my lips, but you are able to keep me stable.

You try several different strokes to see what I respond most to, what I seem to like best. Once you are confident in what to do, you begin to concentrate on pushing me towards an explosive climax, flicking my button with your tongue, while stroking my core with two fingers. My moans are growing in volume and frequency, your name interspersed with half-formed thoughts and pleas for more. I take my hands away from your hair to grab onto the handrail with one and a step with the other for fear of yanking on your hair too hard, a precaution we will both be glad for in a few moments. Had I not moved them, you may have lost large chunks of hair.

As you lick and suck me toward oblivion, two of your fingers thrust their way inside of me, twisting and reaching, before finding a little patch of tissue that feels just a bit different, but causes a hellaciously different response. Immediately, I arch my back completely off the stairs, screaming your name louder than you've ever heard, having such an incredibly large climax that I can no longer even see, had my eyes been able to open. You keep me at that peak for several moments, before slowing your ministrations, allowing me to descend from the powerful peak you've just introduced me to.

I come back to reality to find you stroking my wet and swollen folds with your fingers and kissing your way back up my torso. I have never been so spent, and don't think it was possible for my body to reawaken, but when you begin sucking on my nipples and continue stroking my sex, I can feel the tension return. I surprise you by initiating a long, wet kiss, loving the taste of myself on your sweet tongue. I quickly clean the remaining juice from your face, loving each and every lick.

You stand up at the foot of the stairs, your erection proudly pointing toward your stomach, more beautiful than any Greek god. You pick me up, cradling me in your arms, and walk up the stairs and into my room. There, you lay me on the bed before climbing on top of me, holding your weight on your elbows with your hips nestled between my thighs. With several deep kisses, our excitement begins mounting again. With my ankles, I nudge your thighs, letting you know that I am ready for you. Our bodies are aligned perfectly, the head of your cock placed right at my weeping entrance. You slowly push your way in, giving me time to stretch and become accustomed to your size. This isn't the first time we've made love, but you're a big man and I am a small woman, and it takes a moment before I am ready for movement. I feel so full, so stretched, so complete, and I revel in the feeling, the rightness of it, as if we were fashioned just for each other. You begin thrusting into me, setting a steady pace that tightens the wanting within me. I meet each of your thrusts with my legs wrapped around your hips and my hands roaming your back and shoulders. I am too out of breath to continue kissing, so I can only nip and lick your lips, neck, and shoulders, my hands clinging to your back, loving the feeling of your muscles clenching and releasing as you work over me. This feels incredibly good, but isn't quite what we need at the moment.

I tell you to stop, which you do immediately, a bit confused. I push back on your shoulders, forcing you to kneel back on your heels. I turn around in my place, getting to my own knees, my hands clenching the headboard. I look at you over my shoulder as I wiggle my ass at you. This is the first time we've done this, and you are more than a little stunned that I'm asking for it. Shaking off your surprise, you return to your spot between my thighs, guiding your cock back into my tight wet hole.

You thrust in gently, testing how this position feels, making sure that it doesn't cause me discomfort. The opposite is true. When I arch my back downward, you slip in deeper than ever before, and I cannot stop the throaty moans issuing from my open mouth. You grasp my hips, anchoring me to you as you begin your thrusting. The hold you have on my hips allows you to pull my hips back to meet you as you thrust forward, giving us an even deeper, harder impact. This is exactly what I needed. I drop to my elbows to give us an even better angle and I cannot stop the impossibly huge climax that is rushing toward me. Your thrusting becomes frantic as this position breaks through the last of your control and you simply pound into me as hard as you possibly can. Growls and groans fill the air, competing with the thumping of the headboard crashing into the wall and the wet slapping of our bodies coming together over and over.

Suddenly, everything stops for a split second, like the calm before the storm, gathering every ounce of energy available, before we both explode into a climax that rivals the atomic bomb. We are no longer able to think, are able only to feel the explosion of sensation within us and scream out in our ecstasy. Our bodies continue their movements without conscious direction, intent solely upon savoring the incredible pleasure we have found.

As we begin to come down from this most outrageous peak, our bodies can no longer hold themselves up, and we both collapse upon the bed, me face down with you atop me, still imbedded deep within me, your chest slightly angled off so I can breathe. After several long minutes, we are able to recover enough to adjust ourselves on my small bed, once again pulling the covers upon us before finally succumbing to the oblivion that awaits us.

Holy Shit! That was way more than what I'd originally planned on. Perhaps I have a future writing smut books. What do you think? Well, if I don't run you off with that, I figure nothing is going to and I can quit worrying about showing you how less-than-a-lady I really am sometimes. Damn, I need a cold shower. Good thing cold water doesn't run out.

I want you to know something. For as much enjoyment as I am getting out of our dream sharing, I don't want you to think that I am only interested in you or want you for physical reasons. (I'm starting to sound like a guy here.) That is a part of what I feel for you, as I hope it is for you as well. But by no means is it anywhere near all, or even most. Perhaps it's just easier to put into words, because I still have no words that can possibly convey what I feel for you. I love you deeply, Edward. And, just so you know, I dream just as often about just lying in your arms or talking over fries or going out with our friends. My favorite fantasy isn't sexual at all. Every night, I fantasize that you are lying with me on my bed, holding me to your chest as we talk over our day, reconnecting, before drifting off to the sound of your heart beating in my ear and my name on your lips. I miss you so much and I love you tremendously. Take care of yourself, and come back to me. Your home waits for you.

I love you!

Your Kitten (Bella)


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: I don't own Twilight. We "peaked" with the last chapter, but no worries: Remember that I am a happy ending girl, so we'll get there again.

Chapter 8

October 20, 1972

Kitten,

My God, sweet Bella, you will never cease to amaze me. I don't even know what to address first. I guess first off, quit worrying about being to "unlady-like" or whatever for me. Like I said before, as long as you're like that only for me, I love it. You are literally perfect for me, and I love your feisty side. It perfectly complements mine, though I didn't know I had one until I met you. Show anyone else that side of you, and I might have some jealousy issues. Well, there's no might to it. Just the thought of someone else knowing you intimately is enough to enrage me. And speaking of me being enraged, I'm going to hurt Mike when I get home. He needs to be taught how to treat a lady. Jasper and Emmett are right there with me. You should have seen Emmett when he read Rose's letter about that incident! He looked like he was having a stroke or something. We've both decided he (Mike, not Emmett) needs to learn to keep his hands off our women. I know, I know, I'm going all caveman on you, but still, Baby. I can't stand the thought of him putting his hands on you. I'm proud of your ability to defend yourself, though. It helps me worry less about you. I told the guys about your twice monthly training sessions. They were glad for it, too, but both seemed to get a little cautious after that. They're probably afraid of ticking the girls off bad enough to punch them. I wish I could say that I'll never piss you off to that degree, but I'm not perfect AND I'm a man, so I'm pretty much guaranteed to screw up on occasion. I'll just apologize here in advance.

Holy shit, Bella, the things you can do to me with just your words. Yes, I do believe you may have a future in writing smut. It took me four tries to get through the whole scene. I kept having to stop to take care of business, if you understand my meaning. I finally just gave up and kept reading while doing it. It's a good thing I'm a young man. An older one wouldn't be able to come that many times back to back. As it was, I was sore the next day, not that that stopped me from getting hard every time I thought about it. You know, I never imagined that girls might fantasize about the same things I do, so I was more than surprised at the different, um, phases, of the scene. I guess I always thought girls just fantasized about the slow, gentle, missionary position sex. So, even though you flat out told me that wasn't true, I was a little shocked at first. But a good shocked. I knew that one day I would be in a sexual relationship; after all, I always intended to marry and have kids someday, but I never thought I would be blessed with a woman who was sexually open. I never thought it would be okay to let that baser side of myself to emerge, that I would disgust my wife for wanting such depraved things. So, to learn that you, the most important woman in my life, want to explore that baser side with me is a massive turn on and incredibly freeing. Like you, my body may be innocent of those situations, but my mind has been far from innocent for several years now. Before I met you, the woman I fantasized about when I indulged in self-pleasuring had no real distinctive features. I always imagined long dark hair because I loved burying my hands into it. I also always pictured a small woman with a soft, gentle body. I've never been turned on by the more athletic type of girl. As for size, considering my own 6'2" frame and muscle mass, someone small is pretty common, and relative. But while the physical features of the girl were not distinct, how she made me feel was. I felt loved, wanted, cherished, important, accepted, manly, possessive, protective, blessed. So, when I met a girl, no matter what she looked like, if she didn't spark those feelings in me, I didn't pursue her. The moment I looked into your eyes, I knew it was you. The woman of my dreams crystallized into you, and there is no one else in this world that I want to share myself with. I believe I've loved you long before I met you. I know that we would have met at some point, even if I'd never had to catch that bus. You complete me, and I cannot be away from you. When I get home, Baby, I will never leave your side again. Being away from you is more painful than anything I could have imagined.

Possible good news: I've heard through the grape vine that we may be pulling out of the war soon. If that happens, it doesn't guarantee I will be home any sooner, though, since I will still have the remainder of my commitment to serve, but I hope to at least be on the same continent as you. Perhaps we can arrange a visit, or at least phone calls, then.

It may be a while before I can write again. We are scheduled to go out into the field for an extended mission, starting tomorrow. I don't know many details, just that it's going to be long and since it's the rainy season here, wet. We've gone out on other missions since that first one I told you about, and I've been in a few fire fights. I know I've EC'd at least three more times, with a few more possible. They say that the first one is always the hardest, and I suppose that is true. I guess I'm becoming hardened to the brutality I've seen here, since it seems to bother me less. I worry that I will become so hardened that I will quit caring about others altogether. Jasper assures me that that is unlikely, because I do react initially before squelching it, so it's more of controlling the emotions, rather than not having them. That was very reassuring. He should become a psychologist. He'd be good at it.

Thank you for your understanding and acceptance of what I've had to do. I had no idea how badly I needed to know that you wouldn't hold it against me until I read that you forgave me for killing that man. It brought tears to my eyes, and a massive sense of relief. I love you so much, and you are the only person in this world that I'm really worried about not being worthy of, though I know that I will never truly be worthy of you. But, as I've said before, I'm just too selfish to give you up. You're literally the best thing that's ever happened to me, and I refuse to let you go.

I cannot believe you three went to go see that movie! I'd seen the trailer for it the last time I went to see a movie (I don't even remember what the movie was now), and it looked hilarious! If you are going to be getting up to that kind of mischief, we're going to have to come home to watch over you! I can just imagine Alice spewing her cola, too. And I can only imagine the questions you have now. And I'm not even sure I have the answers to them! So, to answer the one question you shared, yes, there are some people out there who have sex with animals. Never understood it, never gonna try it. The only animal I want to have sex with is the human animal, specifically a beautiful brunette that goes by the name of Bella.

And, love, I don't imagine for a moment that you are interested in only the physical aspect of our relationship, any more than I am. And I think you hit it right on about just not having the words to express my feelings, while there seems to be plenty to express what my body craves. Still, you blow me away with your words. Um, that wasn't supposed to be a pun, but I guess it works.  I hope you know and understand the same for me. I treasure all your words, and while I very much enjoy the naughtier sections of your missives, it is the words of love and affection that I cling to. Even if we were never able to have a physical relationship, for whatever reason, I would still want you, Bella. I love you, and I always will, no matter what happens in the future.

But you are right. Our future is looking bright. Once I get home and we go to school, even if you are ahead of me by then, we can be together, learn and grow together, start our lives together. Eventually get married, have kids (how many do you want?), grow old. Those are my dreams, Bella. And it is your face I see in those dreams. When I think about kids, I think about a little one with your brown hair and my green eyes, and another with my crazy hair (poor thing) and your chocolate eyes. So beautiful. I dreamt the other night about being in a nursery, rocking a little baby to sleep, looking up to see you in the doorway, smiling down at both of us. I awoke with tears on my cheeks that morning. That is our future Bella, and we will get there someday.

As much as it pains me to do so, I must wrap up this letter. I have to get it in the mail today since we're heading out tomorrow. I love you so very much. Take care of yourself and remember, no matter what, I will come home to you. Where ever you are, that is where I belong.

My love always,

Edward


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: Not my characters, not my plot line, at least through this chapter. All the rest is mine.

Grab the tissues. Here comes the hard part. But we have to get through the hard part to get to the good part.

Chapter 9 – 3rd person POV

_One Friday night at a football game_

_The Lord's Prayer said and the Anthem sang_

_A man said, "Folks, would you bow your heads_

_For a list of local Vietnam dead."_

_Crying all alone under the stands_

_Was a piccolo player in the marching band_

_And one name read but nobody really cared_

_But a pretty little girl with a bow in her hair._

The Friday night that destroyed Bella's life started out just like any other, with the exception of the possibility of meeting Edward's parents. Bella was so nervous that she couldn't concentrate for three days prior, and had ended up having to fake playing her piccolo because she kept squeaking instead of tweeting in tune.

The football game was at the Forks field this year. The two schools were friendly rivals, and truly respected each other. The band director, Mr. Romo, let Bella ride with the cheerleaders, seeing as how she couldn't seem to sit still when she didn't have Rose and Alice around to keep her distracted. By now, the entire school knew about her and Edward, and her friends (and a few of her more annoyed teachers) knew why this night was so nerve-wracking for her. They arrived at the school with barely enough time to allow them to change into their uniforms before they had to form up and enter the stands.

The bands played their fight songs as the teams entered the field. When the cheering had died down a bit, the announcer led them in the opening ceremonies, which included the Lord's Prayer, the national anthem, and the flag raising, though it was raised only to half mast in respect for the soldiers lost to the war. The announcer then asked everyone to remain standing as a list of the local Vietnam dead was read. Bella hated this part. It had been done at every game that year, and while she respected and mourned those lost, it simply hit too close to home. She did her best to distract herself while the names were read, until there was a name she simply couldn't ignore.

"John Harness, Thomas Engle, Edward Masen, Phill.."

Bella's body froze as she heard his name. Her mind simply wouldn't accept what she'd heard.

*****

Rose and Alice were frozen for a moment after hearing Edward's name, before whipping their heads around to search for their best friend. Bella's face was devoid of color, her eyes wide in shock. The sound of metal striking metal, her piccolo having slipped out of her nerveless fingers and fallen to the metal bleachers, was jarring in the respectful silence following the list of men lost. Rose and Alice began scrambling to get over the fence and into the stands, knowing Bella would likely soon collapse. They could see, however, that they were not going to make it to her in time. "Jacob! Catch her!" Rose screamed at the boy standing behind Bella.

Luckily, Jacob had very fast reflexes and was able to grab her before she hit the stands. By then, the entire band knew what was happening and moved out of the way for Jacob to carry Bella down the stands and under the bleachers. Rose and Alice met them there. "Is it him?" Jacob had to ask, already knowing the answer. With tears pouring down their faces, Rose and Alice nodded.

Bella began shifting in Jacob's arms as he sat down on a bench just under the bleachers. "Wha…what happened?" she muttered, clenching her eyes before trying to open them. When she looked around her and then focused on her friends' faces, she knew it hadn't been just a really bad dream. "No. No, it can't be. He can't be dead! He promised me he'd come home!" This last was screamed but garbled by the sobs being ripped right out of her soul.

Never comfortable with crying women, Jacob moved Bella to sit on the bench, and returned to the stands with the rest of the band. As he passed Mr. Romo, he asked,"Is she okay? Was it her soldier?"

Jacob could only nod as he answered the question on everyone's mind. Several of the girls began crying, hurting for their friend who they could hear sobbing beneath them.

Despite the drama going on in the band section, the game progressed. The director tried several times to get the band to play their normal set of football season game songs, but the playing was half-hearted at best, and usually missing several instruments due to students being emotionally overwhelmed. Half-time was coming.

The cheerleading director found the three girls huddled beneath the stands as the band exited the bleachers to assemble for the half-time show. "Rose, Alice, I know you want to stay here with her, but I need you for the show. You can come back as soon as it's done." The girls hesitantly nodded their heads as Bella motioned for them to go. She clearly wasn't going anywhere for a while. The director watched as they gathered themselves and moved to where the rest of the squad was getting ready. Shaking her head, she went in search of Mr. Romo.

"Ladies and gentlemen. The Bobcat Marching Band and cheer squad prepared a lively show from the Roaring 20's for your pleasure tonight. However, a band member has just received word that her soldier boyfriend was killed in Vietnam. So, tonight, in honor of their sacrifice, and the sacrifices made by the soldiers lost and the families who lose them, they will offer silent respect and a performance of Taps."

With that, the band along with the cheer squad, in a basic box formation, marched their way onto the field to the clicking of Jacob's drumsticks. At the drum major's whistle, the band turned to face their stands, though it was customary to face the home crowd stands. At the next tweet, they quit marching and presented their instruments in front of them. They stood there for a moment before the major blew her whistle yet again, at which they all dropped to one knee and placed their instruments to the ground in front of them. They then placed their hands folded upon their raised knee, and bowed their heads. Silence reigned for several minutes as people in both stands stood and cried. The sound of Bella's sobs could be heard throughout the stadium.

The crowd stirred a bit as a second whistle tweeted softly. The Forks High band, in a flanking formation, marched their way onto the field. With the same set of beats, they took their places on either side of the Bobcat band, and soon assumed the same position. The Spartan's band major joined the Bobcat's on her riser, giving her a hug. After a quick conference, the major's turned back to their bands simultaneously, nodding at their respective first-chair trumpet players. The two players picked up their trumpets and moved to stand side by side front and center. The majors moved in synchronicity as they led the players through a slow, soulful rendition of Taps. By the end, anyone who hadn't already been crying now was, except for the two boys who managed to make it through the song before losing their own composure. A few more minutes of silence lapsed as everyone fought to regain a hold on their emotions. With a minute left to go before the game recommenced, the two bands, usually the best of rivals, marched off the field united in their respect and pain.

*****

Bella had finally fallen into an exhausted sleep late in the fourth quarter. Jacob had carried her to the bus and held her the whole way home. The rest of the cheerleaders had opted to ride on the band's bus, making it a bit crowded, but giving the four of them some privacy and peace. When they made it back to the school, Jacob had carried Bella to Rose's car without a word, gently placing her in the back.

"We'll take care of her, Jacob. Thank you, for tonight," Alice said, giving him a quick hug. She knew that Jacob had always had a thing for Bella, though Bella never recognized it for anything more than friendship.

"Anytime, Alice. Let me know if there's anything I can do." Taking one last glance at Bella's tear-stained face, he turned to go help unload the instrument truck.

Charlie was waiting on the front porch when Rose pulled into the driveway with Alice and Bella. Alice opened her door saying,"Charlie…"

"I know. Romo called when the busses got back to the school. Jesus, I never wanted her to know this kind of pain." With tears in his own eyes, he gathered Bella into his arms and carried her into the house and up to her room. He knew the girls would follow, and make sure she was cleaned up and comfortable for the night. There were just some things that a dad couldn't do for his teenage daughter.


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: Last chapter was short, though heart-wrenching. Same with this one. Thought I'd reward all of my wonderful reviewers with putting up the next chapter quickly. Again, remember, I'm a happy ending girl. Stick with it.

Chapter 10

That first week was the hardest on all of them. Bella was essentially catatonic. She refused to eat or drink anything, even when something was held to her lips. She only moved enough to go to the restroom, and with nothing going into her system, even that became few and far between. When she was awake, she stared into nothingness, unwilling or unable to focus on anything or anyone. Charlie made arrangements at the diner so he could stay with her during the day while Alice and Rose were at school. When classes were over, they would rush back to Bella hoping for some kind of improvement, but none seemed to be coming.

It was the nights, however, that tried all of their souls. When Bella slept, she would abruptly begin screaming, as if her very life were being ripped from her body. When they were finally able to rouse her, she would begin crying and whimpering, but they could never get her to say what it was she dreamt about.

After a week of this, Charlie was at his wit's end. Bella was losing weight fast, still refusing to eat or drink. He'd spoken with her doctor and he'd suggested having her hospitalized, at least so they could get some nourishment into her. Charlie hated to do something so drastic, considering Bella's intense dislike of all things medical due to her klutzy nature. He was discussing this option with the girls, who'd essentially moved into their house to help care for Bella. "Maybe we need to remove some of the reminders of him. It might ease the oppression of the thoughts of him."

"Like what, Charlie? I'm not sure that Bella would appreciate us getting rid of his letters."

"No, I'm not talking about getting rid of them. I'm just talking about taking it from her immediate environment, so she's not constantly reminded of him. It's like he's everywhere in this room, even if he was never here."

"What do you propose? Putting away the picture of him?"

"Well, what about her hair things? We could put them in a box for her to keep, just not on her body."

"We can give it a try." With that, Rose moved to sift through Bella's hair, isolating one of her weaves. Alice handed her a pair of scissors when she had it separated out to the root. Just as she was about to snip off the lock, Bella came alive, screaming "NO" at the top of her lungs and jerking herself away from Rose and right off the bed. Rose was so startled that she jerked backward, launching the scissors into the air and falling off the opposite side. Alice managed to dodge the scissors before they hit the window sill behind her and fell to the floor.

Charlie was on his knees beside Bella in an instant, holding her as she began crying again. He rocked her until her sobbing eased, whispering reassurances all the while. When she can calmed somewhat, he took her face in his hands, and was relieved to see that she was actually cognizant of him. "Bella, you have to snap out of this, Sweetheart. You're making yourself sick."

"Don't take him from me, Daddy." Bella was able to whisper. Her voice was hoarse from disuse from not speaking for a week, other than her screaming in the night.

"We won't, Baby. But you have to come back to us. Edward wouldn't want you to do this to yourself. You know that."

"I miss him, Daddy. I feel like my heart's been ripped out and there's this huge hole inside me."

"I know, honey, I know. It's how I felt when your mother left, and again when she died. The pain will ease with time. For right now, though, you've got to pull yourself together some, Bella. Everyone's worried about you."

"Okay, Daddy. I'll try."

"Come on, Bella, let's get you into the shower," Rose said as she rose from her place on the bed. "You stink, seriously." With that, Alice and Rose giggled and nodded, and Bella was able to manage a bit of a smile. She let the girls help her get undressed and into the shower, amazed at how very weak she was. The hot water felt heavenly, and reminded her of the warmth of Edward's arms. The memory hurt, but she also took comfort in it.

Charlie arranged with the school for her to return half-days for the first week back, and then the next week was short because of the Thanksgiving holiday. Bella, with the help of Rose, Alice, and her very understanding teachers, was able to catch back up with her schoolwork by the time classes let out. The girls took turns staying with Bella since she still woke up screaming almost every night. It helped to have someone there with her, though she would never talk about what she dreamed. They could only assume, correctly, that it was centered on Edward dying. They hid their own worries from her, knowing that she didn't need any more to burden her. They hadn't heard from the guys since immediately before the game. Rose had tried contacting Emmett's family, to no avail. Every time she called, the phone just rang and rang. Bella had received a letter from Edward in the days following the fateful football game. They could only assume it was written just prior to his death.

The day after Thanksgiving dawned bright and cold. Bella was working in the diner that morning before going shopping with the girls that afternoon. The diner would be closed the following week to allow for some renovations Charlie had decided on after the problem with the soldiers the prior month. He was having the wall between the kitchen and the dining room converted into a counter with bar seats. It would give extra seating and allow him to see what was going on in the dining area.

Bella was doing better, having put some of the lost weight back on, but she was still wan and had dark circles under her eyes from the lack of sleep. She had also lost the bounce in her step and the sparkle in her eyes. Seeing her so depressed was painful, but Charlie knew there was really nothing he could do to help, just as there was nothing anyone could do for him when Renee left.

Business was brisk throughout the morning, giving them little opportunity to rest or regain their breath. Sue would be arriving within fifteen minutes, and while Bella wasn't exactly looking forward to shopping, she was glad to have something to do other than sit at home and think. She was refilling some tea glasses when the bell attached to the door jingled, signaling the entry of new customers. She glanced up to see that it was two soldiers, clearly returning from war based upon their apparent injuries, though she didn't take in any other features. She'd stopped really looking at soldiers after that fateful game. She motioned them to an open booth and turned to finish filling the glass she held. When she was done, she placed the tea pitcher back in its spot and grabbed a couple of menus.

She slipped the menus onto the table in front of them, and turned her notepad to a fresh page. "What can I get you guys to drink?" she asked, for the first time really looking at her new customers.

"What's the matter, Baby B? Don't you recognize us?" the dark haired one asked, before issuing a booming laugh that had the entire diner turning their heads to look.

The world began to revolve around Bella and black spots soon covered her eyes. She could feel her body begin to drop as she whispered his name…


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: Not mine. Couldn't leave all my wonderful readers hanging for long. I got a ton of reviews yesterday and today, yea! Thank you, everyone! Especially those that said they cried. That means I'm doing something right.

Chapter 11 – 3rd person POV

"Emmett?" Bella whispered, before her eyes turned back into her head and her body dropped toward the floor. Luckily, Emmett had very fast reflexes, and managed to catch her before she hit.

"What the hell??" screamed Rose as she and Alice came barreling through the front door. They had seen Bella being cradled in some guy's arms, clearly unconscious, through the windows of the diner. "What the hell do you…" Rose trailed off, finally getting a good look at the soldier holding her friend. She whispered, "Emmett?" just as Alice whispered, "Jazz?"

At the guy's nods, the girls flew into their arms, squeezing for all they were worth, though Rose had a hard time getting around the still-unconscious Bella.

"What the hell is going on here?" Charlie snapped, coming through the kitchen door with Sue trailing behind him.

Rose looked up at Charlie with tears streaming down her face, hanging tightly on to Emmett's neck. "It's the guys, Charlie. Emmett and Jasper. Edward's buddies. They've come home," she said before burying her face into his chest once again.

"What happened to Bella?" Charlie asked, though he had a pretty good idea what the answer was.

Emmett shrugged as best he could and answered," She fainted when she realized it was me."

Charlie nodded in acknowledgement. "Are you hungry? Why don't I make you some lunch and you can take it to the house to catch up," Charlie suggested, glancing at the girls to make sure they were okay with it. If the girls trusted the guys, he would trust them as well. At their nod, he returned to the kitchen as Sue picked up where Bella had left off.

"How is she?" Emmett asked quietly. He could see the toll Edward's death had taken on her. She looked like a shell of the person he'd seen in Edward's pictures.

"Slowly getting better. We were so worried about her that first week."

"What did his parents say? Did they give her any details?"

"She hasn't heard from them at all. We found out at a football game."

"What?? What do you mean they never contacted her? And how did you find out at a football game?"

"Just that. They never contacted her. We were in Forks for the game, and Bella was supposed to hopefully meet his parents there, so she was keyed up big time. She couldn't sit still all week. Then, at the game, they were reading off a list of the local Vietnam dead, and they said his name. Emmett, she fell apart. Completely. She was catatonic for a week, didn't eat or drink, barely slept. Even now, she screams in her sleep from nightmares, though she won't tell us what they're about."

Emmett ran his free hand over his face and through his hair. "Jesus, that is so wrong. I can't believe they didn't contact her. Edward specifically told them to do so if anything happened to him. He tried to change his emergency contact information to her but they wouldn't let him since they weren't at least engaged yet."

"Do you know what happened? She's going to want to know, no matter how painful it is to hear."

"Yeah, we know," replied Jasper, who'd been quietly following the conversation. "When she's ready, we'll tell all of you. I'd rather only have to relive it once." The girls nodded their heads in agreement as Sue brought them a huge bag of food for them to take. "Ma'am, can you get Charlie to help us get Bella into the car? Neither of us can carry her with our injuries." It was only then that the girls noticed the bandages both guys were wearing.

"Oh my God! Are you okay?" Alice exclaimed, running her hands down Jasper's face and chest, as if she were looking for additional injuries that she couldn't see.

"We'll be fine. We just need some time to heal. And maybe a couple of beautiful nurses to distract us from the pain," Emmett replied, dropping a wink at Rose, who smiled and blushed. With that, Rose went to bring the car to the front of the diner while Alice went to get Bella's stuff from the back. With Charlie's help, they got everything and everyone loaded into the car.

"How do you plan on getting her into the house?" Charlie asked.

"We're going to my house. The guys are staying in the guest house out back for now and Dad'll be there to help." At Charlie's look of confusion regarding the housing arrangements, Rose explained," We talked about it via letter. They planned on at least visiting here when they were allowed to come home. I talked to my parents about it, and they agreed to let the guys stay there as long as they wanted. My dad thinks Emmett has a calming influence on me," Rose said with a smirk while rolling her eyes. With that, Charlie laughed and tapped the top of the car for them to go.

*****

It was almost an hour later when Bella opened her eyes to find herself lying on a bed in a familiar bedroom. She rubbed her face, trying to figure out what happened. The last thing she remembered was twinkling brown eyes and dimples. Slipping off the bed, she wandered into the next room where she heard voices.

"Finally! I was afraid you were going to sleep all day!" Alice exclaimed, jumping up and pulling Bella into a hug. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, just confused. What happened?" Bella looked around as she asked, before focusing on the two men resting on the couches. It took only a moment for her memory to return and for her to realize exactly who she was seeing. "Emmett? Jasper? Is it really you?" she asked, flying into Emmett's arms, beginning to cry.

"How come he gets all the hugs?" Jasper muttered to himself, before grinning as Alice plopped down beside him. She would have climbed into his lap, but concern for his injury kept her from it. The worries about whether the two couples would actually want to be together after meeting had proven to be in vain. Their physical connection had been immediate and deep.

Bella soon disengaged herself from Emmett and moved to give Jasper a long hug, as well. Her tears wet his tee-shirt, but he didn't care. He knew that it was likely that his shirt would become much more damp with the story that they had to tell soon. "Eat your lunch and we'll talk when you're ready, okay?" He knew Edward would have been overwrought to see her look so devastated, and furious at how she had learned of his death.

Bella nodded and went to get her lunch from the kitchen. Sitting in an arm chair flanked by the couches on which the two couples sat, she gathered her thoughts and asked, "How badly are you injured? Do you have to go back when you've healed?"

"Neither of us has to go back, though not just because of the injuries. It's a part of the story we'll tell when you're ready for it. I was shot in the shoulder, which will take a while to heal and get back to normal. Jasper was hit in the knee and will likely limp the rest of his life."

"Emmett saved my life, a couple of times. He caught sight of the sniper before I did and pushed me out of the way, which is when he got shot. I got hit trying to drag his ass back behind a large rock. I owe him." Jasper's tone was matter of fact, though that didn't stop a tinge of pink from blooming on Emmett's face.

"I figure it's even. You saved my ass more times than I can count. That time was just literal instead of figurative."

Bella had finished her food by this time and squared herself in her chair. "Okay, tell me what happened." Alice and Rose got up from their spots and sat on the arms of the chair Bella was seated in, each holding her hand. Rose reached over and grabbed a box of tissues. She knew this was going to be hard.

Emmett and Jasper looked at each other, as if bracing each other for the coming pain. Taking a deep breath, Jasper asked, "Did you get Edward's last letter? Did he say anything about going on a long mission?" At Bella's nod, he continued. "We weren't told much, just that we should plan for being out for several weeks and that we would likely see action. The first two days were uneventful. The third day, though, we came upon a clearing. Edward was assigned to flank to the right, with us about ten feet behind him. I don't know if he hit a trip wire or what, but there was suddenly a huge explosion about fifteen feet in front of us. Edward was blown into the trees. We both rushed forward to get him when the bullets started flying.

It was a trap, and the enemy had been laying in wait for us. Emmett and I were hit during that brief firefight. We soon realized we were surrounded, and were taken prisoner. We were able to get Emmett's wound to stop bleeding fairly quickly. It didn't hit any bones or major blood vessels, so that was good. My knee was a different story. I lost quite a bit of blood before they could get it to stop.

We were forced to start marching, heading toward a POW camp. They'd taken our boots away from us to make it harder for us to escape, so it was really slow going. Emmett dragged me every step of the way, which is how he saved my life a second time. If I had lagged behind, they would have finished me off. Two days into the march, we were stopped to rest near a stream when we were suddenly under attack again. This time, it was our side doing the attacking. Base camp had learned of our capture and sent another two units out to try to get us before we reached enemy camp. They succeeded.

After the fight was over, every one of the enemy was dead, and the rest of us were rescued. There were only 20 men left of the original 35 in our company. They couldn't fly us out of that location, so we had to march all the way back to base. We got them to detour to where the original attack had occurred to see if anyone was left alive. When we got back to that site, we were stunned at what we found." At this point, Emmett took over the story. The telling was clearly draining Jasper.

"The enemy hadn't stopped at just taking us prisoner. They had left a few guys behind to strip the dead of valuables, ammo, etc. Typical actions during war. Even our side does it. Usually they just leave the dead where they land, but this time, they'd piled the bodies and burned them. There was nothing left of the men we'd lost. Even the dog tags were unreadable. I searched the area where Edward had been blown to, and found some blood and your ribbon." Emmett pulled the ribbon from one of his pants pockets. It was nearly black with dirt, soot, and dried blood. Taking if from Emmett, Bella grasped the ribbon to her chest as her sobs overtook her again. Once she had herself under some semblance of control again, she nodded at Emmett to continue.

"We'd hoped he just been injured, maybe knocked out, and overlooked. But when I saw the ribbon, I knew that he was gone. He wouldn't take that off for anything. And believe me, he got ragged about it a lot when we got to 'Nam. He just grinned, shrugged, and walked off." They were silent for several minutes, absorbing the information they'd been given.

"So, you said that you're back permanently, but not necessarily because of the injuries?" Alice asked, sitting down next to Jasper to hold his hand cradled in her own.

He nodded, saying," We were prisoners of war, POWs, for two days. POWs can choose to leave the service immediately, and we get full benefits for life. We don't necessarily have to work for the rest of our lives because of our experience, though we can if we want. We both chose to end our service and come home. We both wanted to come here, though we'll need to go visit our families soon, probably over Christmas. Rose, is the offer for the guest house still open-ended?"

"Absolutely. You can stay here for as long as you want. Rose, Bella, and I will be moving to Seattle come June, but you can stay as long as you want."

"Actually, we were thinking that we would join you at UW. The military will pay for our education, as well, so we're going to take advantage of it. We've already contacted them, and secured our spots." Alice squealed her excitement and happiness before almost knocking Jasper to the floor with her exuberant hug. Rose's reaction was more reserved, gently touching Emmett's face before leaning in for a hug. Bella's smiled and looked away. She was glad for her friends, but it was bittersweet at best.


	12. Chapter 12

A/N: I have some explaining to do. The plot line from the song is over, but the story is less than half done. The rest of the plot is me. One more sad chapter, then things start looking up. Hang in there with me! And thank you to all of my wonderful reviewers! You consistently make my day!

Chapter 12 - BPOV

November 24, 1972

My Dearest Edward,

It seems strange to write to you, when I cannot mail it to you. I've started to write you so many times, and just couldn't finish it. My dad asked me yesterday what was with all the paper in my wastebasket, and I told him about wanting to talk to you, but feeling weird about writing a letter with no destination. He suggested getting a journal, where I can write to you and keep all of it together. When he got home last night, he handed me this beautiful leather-bound journal. It's not quite the same green as your eyes, but it still reminds me of you. So, here it is.

The guys came home today. They came in on the noon bus and walked right into the diner. I fainted when I recognized Emmett. He and Jasper, both, are recovering from serious injuries. They told me what happened to you. It was so hard hearing what happened. I know that they could get into trouble if we talk about it outside of our group, but I am glad to know what really happened. Maybe now I can quit dreaming about the various ways you could have died.

They are worried about me. I can see it in their eyes. How am I supposed to be okay when half of my self is gone? My chest still feels like it's an empty hole, like I've been cracked wide open, and everything inside removed.

The guys are staying in Rose's guest house, as planned. They've enrolled at UW for the fall semester to come along with us. We (the girls) are staying in a house Rose's family is buying off-campus, so perhaps they'll find a place near us. Hell, its big enough for them to move in too and still have a couple of rooms left over. Perhaps I'll suggest it once they're more used to each other. That, by the way, seems to be going well. Trying to get Rose and Emmett's hands off each other will take a crowbar, and getting Alice and Jasper to quit staring into each other's eyes is nearly impossible. It's so hard to look at them discovering each other, and know that we will never have the opportunity to do that as well. I miss you so much. I am trying to take better care of myself. I promise.

Baby, Emmett is furious with your parents, as are the rest of them. I am too, but I can't focus on that. When he learned how I found out about your death, he was livid. Every time one of us makes reference to it, he just turns red and clenches his fists all over again. He wants to go confront them, and I have to confess that a small part of me wants to as well, but I think it would just cause more pain, and since nothing can be changed, I said that we wouldn't do that. He's respecting my decision as of right now, but I can't promise he won't go off half-cocked sometime in the future.

We're planning on going to see Emmett's family over Christmas break. I'm not excited about tagging along and being a fifth wheel, but they wouldn't hear of my staying behind. I even tried to claim that I had to work, but Rose called Charlie and he agreed immediately to letting me go with them. We're hoping to be able to fly down to see Jasper's family in Texas after graduation. Rose offered to pay for the guys (Lord knows her family has enough money for it), but they wouldn't hear of it. The three of us already had airfare set aside for an after-graduation trip, so that's no problem for me or Alice to swing.

Rose insisted on cleaning your ribbon. She said that it was just too creepy to think about what all was on it. You can barely tell it was gold, though it looked black before she washed it. I'll wear it from now on. It matches the braids I have. I had Rose and Alice cover the yellow string with black a couple of weeks ago, but the yellow kind of peeks through from time to time. Christmas time is coming, and I'm really not looking forward to it. It should have been our first Christmas together, but it's not, and none ever will.

December 14, 1972

I find myself having problems with deciding what to write to you about. Do I tell you about what is going on in the world? It's not like you could care about it now, but it's something you asked me to tell you about. You know I'm hurting and missing you. So what do I talk about?

You were right about the war coming to an end soon. There are fewer than 27,000 American troops there now, according to the government. They also say that they don't really know how many POWs are still in captivity. Part of me still holds out hope that you are one of those. As much as I hate the idea of you being held captive and mistreated, at least you would be ALIVE. My dad thinks it's something I'll always have to deal with since I didn't get to see your body. Hell, even Emmett and Jasper didn't get to see your body, just the ashy remains of multiple bodies incinerated together. Every time I get to thinking about it, I have to remind myself that you're gone and not coming back. Those are never good days.

We leave next week to go see Emmett's family. Rose is nervous, which is really strange for her. You would be so happy for them, Baby. Both sets are incredibly in love with each other. It's so hard to be around them sometimes, even though they try to keep the emotion to a minimum around me. It just reminds me that I will never feel your arms around me, I won't kiss your sweet lips, I won't ever feel you love me again.

December 28, 1972

My love,

I've made it through Christmas, though it was so very hard. We just got back from Emmett's family yesterday, and our families all got together to do Christmas for us. Emmett's family is hilarious! They had me laughing within minutes, a considerable feat. They are just as boisterous as he is. They definitely love their son. And they absolutely loved Rose, which she returned. The guys have only been home a month and a half, but I get the feeling that they're getting pretty serious. I did bring up the idea of the guys moving in with us at college, and they were all over it. Alice's parents weren't real excited about her living with her boyfriend, but as long as they have separate bedrooms, they'll go along with it. As long as it keeps them happy, we'll let them keep on believing. Every time Alice stays with Rose, she's in Jasper's bed. She said they haven't gone all the way yet, mostly because of his knee, but have gotten close a couple of times. When she told me that, I told her to suck it up and get on top. She turned bright red, and got real thoughtful. I figure Jasper's in for a treat soon. And no worries about them getting pregnant before they're ready. We've all been on the pill for years to help with the acne. Although, if anyone was pushing the odds on that one, it'd be Rose and Emmett. Good God! They're like rabbits! It's gotten so bad that I refuse to sit next to them in the theater when we go watch movies. Everyone at school now thinks that we have some kind of kinky group sex thing going on because the five of us are inseparable. We've even decided to go to Prom together in March. They're doing their best to include me, I know. But, like tonight, I knew they wanted some couple "alone" time, so I came home. Those nights are always the hardest, because then I have time to think about you, and the couple time we'll never have.

In case you were wondering, the guys injuries have mostly healed. Jazz's knee bothers him still, but as long as he takes it easy, he's okay. He got really ticked that he couldn't help us drive for the trip, but there were four of us who could (though God help us when it was Alice's turn!) so it wasn't that bad. And he doesn't seem to mind when I lean my head on him or hold his arm. I think he knows that I'm pretending it's you.

We are getting together Sunday evening for New Years at the guest house. We're going to watch the show from New York and drink champagne. I think their plan is to get me drunk so I don't think about losing you so much. I'm likely to have my first hangover after that.

January 4, 1973

Well, I called that one right. They did indeed plan and succeed in getting me drunk. They just had no idea that I'm an emotional drunk. Apparently, the more I drank, the more I cried. Emmett finally took it away from me a little after midnight, after sobbing through their first kisses of the new year, bummer that I am. I passed out shortly after that and didn't wake up until almost 2 the next afternoon with a major headache. We'd all stayed in the guest house that night, and nobody stirred until well in the afternoon. I didn't come home until yesterday. Dad just took one look at my still-more-pale-than-usual face and shook his head. I'm finally feeling more normal today, and have sworn off champagne. The rest of them have sworn off getting me drunk when I'm an emotional wreck to begin with. Serves them right for doing it in the first place.

The guys are starting to talk more about the time they spent with you, telling us funny stories about you three in basic and all that. It hurts, but it also helps me feel closer to you. It also helps to know that you missed and loved me as much as I miss and love you. The ache isn't getting better, but I guess I'm learning how to live with it more. I'll always love you and I'll always miss you. You are a part of my soul.

February 14, 1973

I hate Valentine's Day. Grant it, I've always hated being alone on this holiday, but this year is even worse, what with having you ripped away from me and being surrounded by happy couples. Even Dad is dating again! He and Sue got together over the Christmas holiday when she was working extra hours while I was gone. I'm happy for him, but damn, it's disconcerting to hear him get up whistling in the morning and seeing her stuff in the bathroom! I don't want to think about my father getting laid! Ick!

I heard on the news that the first American POWs were released from Vietnamese labor camps this week. I have to confess, I allowed myself a moment of hope. There are men coming home who they thought were dead, but I have to remind myself of what Emmett and Jasper saw. I still dream of you every night, though the nightmares have largely stopped, thank heaven. I make it a point to think about the time we had together to keep it fresh in my mind. I panicked myself the other day when I couldn't bring up the image of your hands in mine. It took me ten minutes of deep breathing to calm down enough to focus and then it came to me. That is my greatest fear, now. Forgetting.

March 2, 1973

You're never going to believe what happened today. I put those self-defense skills to use again, though I kinda went overboard. Well, there's no kinda about it. I put Mike in the hospital, much to Emmett and Jasper's dismay at not getting to do it themselves. I imagine they'll be taking it up with Mike again when he gets out, though. It happened during lunch break. He's been bugging me again, and I've been doing pretty well with ignoring him. Well, today, he comes up to our table, interrupting our conversation about our dresses for prom. He proceeds to grab my chin in his hand, tells me that I've moped around long enough and it was time I started putting out for a real man instead of getting off to a memory, and then kissed me. All I could do was just sit there and blink at him, I was so stunned by what he'd said and done.

And then something in me snapped. I pushed away from the table and charged him, hitting him directly in the stomach, lifting him off his feet and running him into some other tables, and apparently cracking a couple of ribs in the process. I then straddled him and started whaling on him, screaming all the while. Alice told me later that I was screaming, "Edward is more of a man dead than you could ever hope to be alive," and that he was a creepy piece of shit, etc. I managed to break his jaw, his nose (again), gave him two black eyes (again), and break most of the bones in one hand where he was trying to block my blows to his face. When Rose pulled me off of him, I was still out of control and managed to break her hold, going back to kick him in the side and legs. She let me get in one last wallop to his nuts before regaining control of me. They took him out on a gurney while I was in the principal's office. After hearing my side of the story, backed up almost verbatim by Rose, Alice, Angela (who happens to be the Student Body President), and Ben (her boyfriend and Vice-President), the principal agreed that I was acting in self-defense (well, at least the initial reaction was, the rest of it clearly a reaction to his prior behavior and the stress I've been under with the rest of what's happened in the past few months). He called Charlie to come get me, however, so I could get my hand looked at. I managed to break three bones in my good hand, but it was so worth it. Somehow, I doubt anyone's going to be bothering me for the rest of the year. Alice is just pissed that I'm going to have a white cast on my hand for prom. Like I really care. I think she plans on wrapping a scarf around it or something.

March 10, 1973

Today is prom. I'm having a hard time with it, too. I was up most of last night crying, which will piss Alice and Rose off to no end when they pick me up later to get dressed. Apparently, it makes it more challenging to "Make me beautiful". As if I give a damn about being beautiful for anyone other than you. I didn't think this day would bother me so much, but apparently I'm more girly than I thought I was. You would have liked my dress. It's the exact color of your eyes. I'll even admit that I look good in it. I've finally put back on the weight I lost in November, and the guys tell me I look healthy again. They tell me all the time that you loved me, and thought I was beautiful, that you would be proud of me for hanging in there. It helps, it really does. But it's still a poor substitute for having you here. Sometimes I imagine that I can hear you talking to me, telling me to hold on, that you're coming home. I'm beginning to think I'm going insane. I haven't told anyone else about hearing you. I'm afraid of what they'll do.

Rose just pulled up. God how I miss you!


	13. Chapter 13

A/N: I don't own Twilight. I just make them do the naughty.

Chapter 13 – 3rd person POV

Bella was right about one thing, Rose and Alice did gripe about the bags and redness of her eyes. Still, the girls were ready for Prom precisely on time, putting on the last touches when the doorbell rang with their dates. They'd agreed to get dressed at Rose's house, considering she had the biggest bedroom, the car, and the guys in the back yard. Alice's parents, Kim and Carl, had come over to see them off, but Charlie would see them later at the diner, where they planned to have dinner. The guys had insisted on coming to the front door, like a regular date would, even though they lived in the back. Rose's dad, Bob, opened the door, stepping aside to let the two young men enter. They both looked dapper in their dark suits. They had debated on whether to wear their dress uniforms, but decided that it might not be such a great idea considering the negative responses they still received on occasion. They held three corsage boxes in their hands. Both men were very conscious of their need to stand in for their friend, and vowed not to let Edward down in their agreement to care for the ladies should something happen to one of them. They would not let Bella go through this alone, even if Rose and Alice would have agreed, which they wouldn't have.

Alice danced her way down the stairs first, to Jasper's amazement and Emmett's amusement. Her dress was pitch black velvet with a v-neck, three-quarter length sleeves, and form-fitting down to her knees, where it flared out in hot pink satin. Her four inch stilettos helped with their height difference but Jasper still had to lean down to give her a soft kiss to the cheek before helping her slide the corsage, white orchids with pink centers, over her wrist. "You're beautiful, Alice," he whispered, bring her hand to his mouth for a quick kiss. Alice glanced down and a faint blush stained her cheeks for a moment before answering in a corresponding hush,"You are incredibly handsome, as always."

Their moment was interrupted by a loud whistle and an exclamation from Emmett when Rose came down the stairs. She had on a sleeveless, red beaded dress that stopped at mid-thigh, with red open-toed heels and her hair piled atop her head. "My God, Rose, you are stunning," exclaimed Emmett in his normal exuberance. It had taken some time for Rose's parents to get used to his boisterousness, but they'd come to love him as a son, which they suspected he soon would be. Rose stopped at the bottom of the stairs to accept her corsage, blood red roses, and gave Emmett a swift kiss, saying, "You're pretty hot yourself."

Bella came down the steps carefully, refusing to raise her eyes until she'd reached the bottom, where she took both Emmett's and Jasper's hands for balance. Alice had insisted on Bella wearing heels, though thankfully Bella had talked her into compromising with a two inch heel, instead of the four inch stilettos Alice had originally chosen. Her dress was as simple as it was beautiful, with a sweetheart neckline held in place with thin straps, a snug waistline, and a slightly flared skirt reaching her shins. The emerald green color brought out the red highlights in her hair and made her skin seem to glimmer in the fading sunlight. Jasper let go of her hand long enough to slide her corsage, an unusual mix of violets and forget-me-nots, accented with tiny white carnations, over her cast. At her confused looked, Alice explained, "Violets stand for faithfulness, forget-me-nots and white carnations for remembrance. He's here with us tonight. Just in spirit instead of the flesh that we wish for."

Bella took a moment to blink back the tears brought by her friends' thoughtfulness. When she was able, she smiled and hugged each of them, thanking them for supporting her through this trying time.

Evie, Rose's mom, and Kim insisted on getting photos of the kids before they would let them go. The guys had offered to take them somewhere nice for dinner, but the girls insisted that they'd always planned on going to the diner for prom night. The only part that hadn't been planned on years ago was who the guys were, or that one of them was missing.

They all piled into Rose's car and headed for the diner, where Charlie was waiting for them with a special meal of steaks and baked potatoes. He smiled when they came in, proud of his girls and unable to believe that they were all grown up and about to move off to school. He helped Sue take out the plates and drinks, having to shoo Bella back from behind the counter trying to put ice in glasses. They talked for several minutes, with Charlie complimenting the ladies and Sue exclaiming over how handsome the guys were. Charlie sighed when he noticed the last bus of the evening drive by, knowing that he was probably about to get very busy between the bus riders and the parents of prom-goers enjoying a night away from the kids.

The conversation and laughter surrounding their table was lively with everyone enjoying the wonderful meal Charlie had fixed them. Bella was laughing and blushing at something Emmett had said when a flash of bronze caught her eye. She closed her eyes and shook her head, trying to shake the sense of recognition that had flashed through her. She had to be imagining it.

Their table was suddenly quiet as Emmett's fork dropped from his hand and Jasper looked over his shoulder to see what had Emmett's face drain of color. When Bella opened her eyes, she looked back toward the door and was met with a pair of green eyes she would recognize anywhere.

"Edward?" Bella, Emmett, and Jasper spoke in tandem, each of them rising from their seats. They couldn't believe what they were seeing. It was Edward. He was thinner than normal and looked pretty ragged, with a fresh-looking scar cutting across his cheek and bandages on his hands, but he was here, at the diner.

"Bella!" cried Edward, dropping his duffle bag and rushing to take her in his arms. Her arms locked around him, whispering his name over and over again as they pressed kisses all over each other's face. Edward grasped her face in his hands, pulling her back enough for them to look into each other's eyes. "I promised you I would come home. I will always keep my promises to you. I love you, Bella."

"Oh, Edward! I can't believe you're here! They said you were dead. I missed you so much! I love you!"

Edward wrapped her back into his arms as he rocked her in his embrace, helping her to eventually calm down, though she would periodically pull back to peer up at him, as if to make sure that she wasn't seeing things.

Emmett pulled Edward into a half-hug before letting Jasper do the same. "How the hell are you here, man? You were dead!"

"I almost was. When I woke up, all you guys were gone. They marched us to a labor camp, where I stayed until about two weeks ago. They finally let us out, and I was in the hospital 'til three days ago. I caught the first plane I found and bussed here as fast as I could." As he explained, Edward maneuvered Bella to allow him to sit down at their table, before pulling her into his lap. They were obviously not going to let each other out of their sight for very long for a long time.

Charlie, having watched the whole scene from the kitchen, plated up the steak and potato he had originally made for himself and set it in front of Edward. Clapping him on the back, Charlie shook Edward's hand and said, "Good to have you home, son. Welcome back. What do you want to drink?"

"Coke" came a little voice from Edward's chest, making the rest of the table and Charlie laugh. Clearly, Bella knew exactly what he usually drank. Edward nodded his agreement, and Charlie went to get his drink.

"Baby," Edward whispered, stroking his hand through Bella's hair. Edward lifted her chin with his fingers before cupping her cheek with his palm. He had dreamed of this moment for months. "Bella, I love you."

"I love you, Edward. You're not leaving me again," Bella said with certainty. It clearly wasn't a request, but an order.

Edward smirked and said, "Yes, Ma'am. I'm not going anywhere without you ever again. These last few months have been pure hell."

"Yeah, they've been pretty bad," Bella sighed in response before narrowly missing putting her elbow in Edward's potato. "Oh, you need to eat! You're so thin!"

"Yeah, I wouldn't exactly recommend the cuisine in a POW camp. Baby, you need to finish your meal, too," Edward insisted, pulling Bella's plate around so she could reach it from where she sat in his lap. They ate their meal with enthusiasm, easily working out how to eat with one of their arms occupied with the other. Edward glanced around the table before asking,"Um, you look great, but what's with the clothes?"

"Oh my God! I almost completely forgot!" Alice exclaimed before checking the clock on the diner's wall. "We need to get going if we're going to get there before they lock the doors."

"It's prom night. Can you drop us back at your house, Rose?" Bella asked.

"What? Why, Baby? You look beautiful. I don't want you to miss your prom. At least go for a while."

"Not a chance, Edward. I'm not going without you…" Bella trailed off as she was cut off by Alice.

"You don't have to. We have a ticket for you, Edward, if you want to go with us."

"You bought an extra ticket for someone you thought was dead?"

"Well, yeah. This whole night was about Bella remembering the good parts of your time together, from the color of her dress to the flowers in her corsage to buying you a ticket," Alice stated matter-of-factly with a shrug. Edward had to look away as he felt tears sting his eyes at how well cared-for his love had been.

"Thank you, Alice. Bella, would you like to accompany me to prom?" Edward asked formally. All she could do was smile and nod her head, before wrapping her arms around him yet again. "I'm going to need to find a place to stay tonight…"

"You're staying with us, Edward. We're staying in Rose's parent's guest house until it's time to move to Seattle in June. There's plenty of room for you in both places."

"Okay, you're going to have to catch me up on what the plans are, and what's been going on. Why did you think I was dead?"

"We'll talk about it later, guys. We've got to move," said Alice as she and Rose stood up from their chairs. The girls grabbed their purses and wraps as Edward grabbed his duffle. He looked back at Charlie, wondering if they needed to pay for their meal. With a smile and a nod, Charlie waved him on. They piled back into Rose's car, a tight fit now that the six were together, but no one was likely to complain for a very long time.

They arrived at the gym with five minutes to spare, just enough time for the girls to freshen up their makeup, since they'd been crying, and Edward to try to straighten up his uniform. When they all decided it was as good as it was going to get, they made their way into the gym, which had been decorated with balloons and crepe paper. The door monitor took their tickets and stamped their hands, closing the doors behind them.

The band happened to be taking a break when they got there, so the hum of voices in conversation was high. However, when Bella walked in on Edward's arm, the buzz quickly died to absolute silence. Angela stood up from her spot at their table and walked up to Bella. "Is this him, Bella?" in utter amazement.

Bella smiled and nodded before answering in a slightly loud voice for everyone to hear, "Yes, this is my boyfriend Edward. He was a POW and was reported as dead. Obviously, they were wrong. He just got home an hour ago." Angela grabbed her friend for a tight hug before switching to hug Edward to her as well. When Angela released him, he became aware of the cheering and applause that had erupted throughout the gym. Edward looked around, completely dazed by the reception they were being given. He turned to look at Bella with a look of complete confusion on his face. He'd never met any of these people other than across a playing field, why were they cheering for him?

"They were there when I was told you were dead. They were there to see me mourn for you. Now they're here to celebrate with me your return. Other than a select few," Bella glanced around with a scowl causing several students to chuckle, "they have all been really supportive."

The band, having watched the entire scene from the stage, announced that they were going to play a song for the reunited couple, and for all soldiers and their families. The lights abruptly dimmed and Edward and Bella suddenly found themselves in a spotlight as the band struck up, "There is Love" by Paul Stookey, more commonly known as "The Wedding Song". Normally, such a situation would have mortified Bella, considering she hated being the center of attention, but all of her attention was focused on Edward as they turned toward each other. He gently took her into his arms, pulling her closer until her cheek rested on his chest. Edward bowed his own head forward, resting his own cheek atop her head as they swayed together to the gentle strains of the music. As the song came to an end, Edward eased back from Bella enough to take her face in his hands. "I love you, Bella. I'm so grateful to have come back home to you. Thank you for waiting for me."

"I love you, too, Edward. I would have waited for you forever. Thank you for coming home!" With that, they shared a sweet, gentle kiss.


	14. Chapter 14

N/A: Characters not mine. Just the fluff from now on.

Chapter 14 – 3rd person POV

They stayed at the dance for an hour before it became evident that Edward was starting to falter. He'd been traveling for the past three days, and still recovering from his ordeal.

"Guys, I need to get Edward home. Do you want me to come back for you later?" Bella asked. The two couples glanced at each other to confirm what each wanted to do and Emmett began to reply only to be cut off by Angela on the microphone.

"Ladies and Gentlemen! May I have your attention please!" She waited a moment for the buzz of conversation to die down. "I know we usually wait to do this until much later in the evening, but, as you probably know by now, we're doing things a little differently this year. I'm pretty positive I spoke with each of you about this, but if I missed you, please forgive me and holler at me about it later, okay? We are now going to crown our Prom court for the '72-'73 Senior Class of Aberdeen High School!" Cheers and clapping erupted throughout the gym. "This is a first for our school, probably a first for most schools, and I had to argue vehemently with Principal Jones to even get the opportunity to get your input, but we won this one!" Angela paused again to let the cheering die down. "This year's Prom princesses are: Rosalie Hale and Alice Brandon!"

The cheers erupting throughout the gym were deafening, and the two girls looked rather stunned. Alice hadn't even been on the ballot passed out at school, and Rose was so envied because of her looks (and now Emmett) that most of the girls wouldn't vote for her out of jealousy. They climbed the stage to stand next to Angela. Ben helped her place the two Princess tiara's atop the girls' heads and draped the sashes across their torsos.

"Now for the princes: Emmett McCarty and Jasper Whitlock!" Again the gym erupted in applause and cheering. The guys, thoroughly confused, didn't begin walking toward the stage until Bella pushed them forward. They climbed the stage to receive their arm bands. "I can see we need a bit of an explanation for the few of you I didn't get to, again sorry. It's very unusual to choose someone who doesn't actually attend our school as part of our court, as I'm sure you know. However, the whole point of choosing a court is to celebrate individuals who we look up to and admire. Most of us were there when Bella was told of Edward's death and we all watched as Rose and Alice stood beside their friend. When the guys arrived, they took their places beside Rose and Alice, not only as their obvious other halves, but as additional support for Bella. Watching Rose and Alice taught me a lot about how to be the kind of friend I want to be, while Emmett and Jasper personified what a wonderful companion can be." Angela stepped back from the microphone for a moment to let the crowd die out again."And now, for our Prom King. Like Emmett and Jasper, he personified the best of loving companionship, commitment, courage, patience, and sacrifice. Your prom king for 1972-1973, Edward Masen!"

The gym exploded in cheers and clapping, while a more than dazed Edward was guided to the stage by a madly grinning, though crying, Bella. She had never imagined such a thing could happen. She was proud of her class that they sought to recognize and support the people who had supported her during the most difficult time of her life, and she was proud of her friends for being the kind of people who others looked up to.

Edward climbed up on stage, still looking stunned. Ben placed the crown on his head and handed him a scepter. Angela stepped away from the microphone, motioning toward it, silently asking if he wanted to say anything. After a quick consideration, he nodded and stepped in front of the microphone. "I want to thank all of you for taking care of Bella this year. I don't know the whole story yet, but I know it was very hard for her. When I learned that the military had told my family that I had died, I feared how badly she would take it and I couldn't wait to get back here to make sure she was okay. You can't imagine my relief when I saw her this evening, as beautiful as I've ever seen her and seeming okay. Thank you for being there when I couldn't be." Edward stepped back from the microphone, quickly wiping the tears from his eyes.

Angela stepped back to the microphone after the thunderous applause died down again. "And finally, the Prom Queen." Angela looked straight at Bella, who had tears streaming down her cherry-red cheeks and her hands folded in front of her mouth, before looking about the people packed into the gym. "Back in November, we watched as her world, and she, in turn, was ripped apart. Through December and January, we watched her struggle to find her footing again. As time passed, we could see her come back to life, though she never did regain that certain bounce to her step or the sparkle in her eyes. She probably never knew that we all watched her as closely as we did. This was the real world and it had intruded upon our idyllic high school lives, reminding us that the real world was just months away for all of us. She just happened to be thrust into it a little early. She is the epitome of what so many families are going through today: suffering the loss, floundering in the pain, and struggling to regain some type of footing in a world that has become so very different than what any of us had expected.

She inspired many of us to take the time to care for others, to recognize others' needs. This class has surpassed all prior classes several times over in hours donated to the community, in funds donated for various charitable causes, in food donated to help the hungry. She has taught us all that we are not isolated in this world, and we cannot afford to remain ignorant of those around us anymore. I also know for a fact that she has no idea all that came about because of her.

When I counted the votes earlier this week, I was surprised and so very proud of all of you. It was, by far, the largest write-in election in school history." Angele again focused directly on Bella. "Bella, you were on the ballot, and you won the vote by a land-slide. But on each and every ballot that voted for you, a write-in candidate was included for your King: nobody, in honor of your fallen soldier. So, please welcome our '72-'73 Prom Queen: Bella Swan!"

The room erupted in the loudest cheers yet as Bella made her way to the stage and up the stairs with Emmett's help. Her face still burned bright red and her eyes continued to stream tears, but her smile was as wide as many had seen in months. Angela placed her crown on her head, draped the sash across her torso, and handed her a large bunch of yellow roses, before giving her a big hug and then shoving her in front of the microphone.

"Um, I don't know what to say. Thank you, everyone, for supporting me and helping me through the last year. Angela's right, I had no idea you were watching me so closely, and I had no idea I was even on the ballot. Guess I missed that one."

"You were getting your cast put on after beating the shit out of Newton," hollered someone from the back, initiating a ripple of laughter throughout the room.

Bella's cheeks flared up again as she heard Edward ask in the background," What the hell's he talking about? Did Mike mess with her again?"  
"Oh, okay. Thanks. Anyway, thank you, again, for being there and for this tonight. I never imagined I would be prom queen. I don't think it's actually sunk in yet. So, um, yeah, thanks and everyone have a great evening." With that, Bella was finally able to retreat from the microphone and return to her friends, laughing at her less-than-stellar speech.

Angela took the microphone one last time, announcing, "The King and Queen will have their traditional dance and then we will return to the normal festivities." Angela took the roses and scepter back from the couple, whispering to Edward, "You got one more in you?"

Edward tiredly nodded his head, and led Bella off the stage and to the middle of the floor, where once again, they were spotlighted. He was beginning to feel like they were at a dance contest.

"Are you okay, Sweetheart?" Bella asked, worriedly. Edward was clearly at the end of his rope.

"Yeah, but I'm going to need a bed as soon as we get to where-ever we're going."

"Okay, we'll leave as soon as this song's over, okay?" Edward nodded and pulled her into his arms as the band started playing Stevie Wonder's You Are The Sunshine of My Life. Part way through the song, the other two couples joined them on the floor. Edward relished the feel of having Bella back in his arms and the feel of her body as it pressed against his. As tired as he was, he could feel his body begin to stir and awaken at the feel.

The song soon ended, and the couples took their leave from the throng of happy students. They piled back into Rose's car and made their way back to the guest house. Upon arriving, they were very amused to discover Edward in his seat, Bella securely held in his arms, with his head back on the rest, deeply asleep. They managed to get him awake enough to get him into the house, undressed, and in bed. He stirred briefly when he felt Bella join him some time later, but he simply cuddled her close to him, and slipped even deeper into sleep.

Bella had internally battled whether to join Edward on the bed or not, before deciding that she would rather he not be alone when he woke up in a strange place. Pulling on her normal sleep attire of a tee-shirt and sleep shorts, she climbed in next to him. He reacted immediately by pulling her close to him and nuzzling the back of her head with his nose. They both snuggled in and sleep immediately claimed her.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15 - BPOV

It was hours later when she was awoken by someone thrashing around next to her. It took her a moment to remember the events of the evening and realize that Edward must be having a nightmare or flashback. She ducked a flailing arm before latching onto his shoulders, telling him over and over that he was okay, he was home, that she had him, that she wouldn't let them hurt him anymore. After initially struggling against her hold, Edward finally relaxed into her, allowing her to pull him into her arms and resting his head on her chest. Edward wrapped his arms around her waist, and returned to peaceful slumber.

It took Bella a while to get back to sleep as she thought about what Edward must have experienced, not just as a soldier, but as a prisoner as well. She knew it would take time for him to heal, and he might always have some after-effects. She just hoped that, with time, he would be able to put the bad things behind him and move forward. The sky was beginning to lighten when she was finally able to go back to sleep.

*****

EPOV

Edward awoke, thinking he was still dreaming. He could smell Bella so clearly, like she was right there. He wondered if he were beginning to lose his mind before he remembered that he really had been released from the prison camp and had come home. His eyes flew open to confirm that Bella, indeed, was not only next to him, that he was actually resting his head on her chest with her arms wrapped around him, holding him securely. He took a few moments to revel in the scent and feel of her against him.

Several long minutes later, he forced himself to get up and take a shower, easing muscles sore from injury and long days of traveling in cramped quarters. His injuries had mostly healed, leaving behind several visible scars on his arms and chest. He wondered if Bella would find them repulsive. She hadn't reacted negatively to the one on his face. In fact, she had gently traced it with a finger several times last night, almost caressing it. Stepping out of the shower and drying off with one of the towels available, he noticed his shower bag on the counter. Smiling at the thoughtfulness, he brushed his teeth and shaved the stubble off his face. His hair had grown back quite a bit since it was shaved off for basic, and had once again become unruly. He wasn't about to cut it off again, however, as Bella clearly loved to run her hands through it, and that felt too damn good to give up.

Edward tucked the towel around his waist before cautiously stepping out into the bedroom, trying to not awaken Bella. He was disappointed to see that she was no longer in the bed, nor was she even in the room. Determined to find where she went, Edward looked around for his duffle. Clearly, someone had been in it to get his shower bag out for him. He checked in the closet, finding his empty duffle and clean clothes hanging there. He frowned for a moment before realizing that someone must have washed his clothes the night before, since he clearly remembered those clothes not being clean when he'd shoved them into his duffle.

Shrugging his confusion away, he pulled on one of the two sets of jeans he'd brought, along with a tee-shirt. Apparently he'd grown more since he'd enlisted, as the pants were a bit short on him. He was going to have to do some shopping soon. He hung the wet towel back on the rod to dry and went in search of his love, and some coffee.

He found both in the kitchen. Bella was cooking up a huge breakfast of pancakes, eggs, bacon, and sausage. Edward walked up behind her, wrapping his arms around her trim waist. "Good Morning, love," he said, giving her a kiss on the top of her head.

"Good Morning, Sweetheart. Did you enjoy your shower?"

"Good lord, yes. I haven't spent that much time in the shower since last summer. What can I do to help?"

"You can put the juice on the table and put the silverware out," as she pointed to one of the drawers. When he'd done that, and placed glasses on the table, she said," You can wake up the others, if you want. Just step to the side of the door when you tell Emmett what I'm cooking."

"They're sleeping together, too?"

"Yeah, have been for a while. Let's just say that I'm really glad to have my own room here and that it's soundproofed. Unfortunately, the doors leak sound, so you can hear them from the living room. Rose and Emmett are freakin' loud, but Alice and Jasper aren't all that quiet themselves."

"I don't know how to feel about that. It's a combination of disgusted and turned on," commented Edward, rubbing his face with his hands like he was trying to rub away an unwelcome mental image. "Oh, thank you for washing my stuff. I didn't expect you to do that."

"Oh, I know, and you're welcome. The stuff that couldn't be hung is in the left side of the dresser, but you must already know that."

"Actually, no, I didn't find it," Edward replied with an eyebrow quirked, waiting for Bella to process what his reply might mean.

Bella's eyes opened wide and a flush began to rise up her neck as her eyes, which had been gazing into Edward's, flickered down to his pelvic area and back. "Oh, you're um, uh not, oh god" she trailed off.

"Are you trying to say, "not wearing underwear"? Yeah. It's not something I do often, but I find it rather sensual all the same. I hadn't planned to after my shower, to help control my reactions to you, but I didn't want to take the time to search for them. I had to come see you again."

Bella's eyes closed as she moaned low in her throat. Edward was on her in a flash, kissing her hungrily as his hands roamed over her back and down to her hips. Their moans became more audible and pronounced the longer they kissed, until the bacon popped really loudly, causing them to jump apart. Bella hurriedly flipped the bacon and pancakes, and stirred the eggs, just barely preventing it all from burning, while softly panting the entire time from the rush of blood throughout her body. When everything was set again, she pulled Edward back to her for another deep kiss, before gently shoving him toward the closed bedroom doors. "After breakfast."

Edward shook his head to rid himself of the erotic images he'd conjured before adjusting himself in his pants, and pulling his shirt down to cover the prominent bulge there. With a calming breath, he left the room to awaken the other couples.

Moments later, all six were seated at the table, enjoying the massive breakfast Bella had made and happily chatting about the prior night's events. "So, what are we doing today?" Alice asked. "I know Edward needs to do some clothes shopping and we need to catch up on all the stuff that happened. Plus, I'm sure some couple time is in order and I know the guys want to catch up on stuff they have no intention of telling us." Everyone around the table nodded in agreement with her assessment.

"Wait, how'd you know I'd need to go clothes shopping?"

"I saw what Bella washed last night. You have like three days worth of clothes, and that's with the uniforms you brought. Are you even supposed to wear those when you're here?"

"Actually, I don't ever have to wear them again. I had to wear them while traveling home, and that was the last of it."

"Does that mean you're out, too?" At Edward's nod, all three girls squealed in excitement and Bella wrapped her arms around him and gave him a big kiss. The guys congratulated him and shook his hand. "Oh, thank God! Now you can come to UW with us. We move in June."

"All of us?"

"Yeah, my parents have a huge house near the campus they bought for the three of us. There's plenty of room for you guys, even with your own bedrooms, if you want them."

"Jasper and I also signed up, too, so we'll be starting in the fall with the girls. Between not having to pay for rent with living with them, and our pensions, we should be able to live fairly well easily, plus put some aside for the future," Emmett replied casually.

"Wait, wait. What do you mean pensions? For that matter, how are you already home? They let me out just because I was a POW."

"We were too, but only for two days. We were captured the same day you were. That's what happened to all of us when you woke up and we were all gone." Jasper proceeded to explain to Edward what had happened after the mine exploded, knocking him out and mistakenly making the guys believe he was dead. Emmett explained about coming back to the trap scene and finding Bella's ribbon (which she untied from her hair and returned to Edward, who grasped it tightly with emotion), about how he and Jasper were hospitalized, then discharged, and then transported back home.

At that point, Edward asked the girls how Bella was told of his death, and sat horrified as the story spun itself out. The guys were transfixed when Alice told about the honor moment with the bands, about how they could actually hear Bella throughout the stadium it had become so quiet, about how people would come up to Rose and Alice to ask how Bella was doing that first week, and then traded concerned looks for the weeks after that when it was clear that Bella was completely devastated.

Tears flowed freely during this time, on all parts, as their own memories of that time surfaced, and the pain that was associated with that time reminded them of its former intensity. Rose told of watching Bella literally wasting away, rarely speaking, even more rarely eating, no matter how they tried to prompt her. She talked about waking up with Bella in the middle of the night, as she screamed with everything she had, and then cried like it was the first time all over again.

Alice talked about how the appearance of the guys had changed everything for all three girls, about how she had immediately connected with Jasper beyond the words they'd shared, and about how difficult it was to let herself be happy when she knew that Bella still hurt so deeply. Rose then concluded the Bella update with how she'd been doing recently, having put the weight back on, but had lost that intrinsic sparkle within herself. They talked almost as if she weren't there, but Bella knew that Edward needed to hear what the others had seen, and in fact, much of it was a surprise to her as well. She had no real recollection of that first week, and so she laughed along when Alice described Bella's reaction to Rose's attempt to cut her braids out and Alice having to dodge the scissors while Rose and Bella fell off of either side of the bed.

Edward didn't ask Bella to describe that time or those emotions. He knew instinctively. He also knew that they would likely talk about it in the future, when the wounds weren't quite so fresh, and when there were no others around. Their inner words were for each other only.

Edward then asked about the cast, and was filled with alternating states of rage that Mike had dared touch her again, pride in Bella that she had defended herself so well, and amusement that she had sufficiently kicked his ass as to put him in the hospital. With a glance at Emmett and Jasper, Edward confirmed plans to revisit the situation with Mike at a later date. The man needed to learn to keep his hands off of women when he didn't have permission, especially when those women belonged to someone else. It might be a bit difficult to track him down, now, though, considering he was expelled from school for that last infraction, and there was a rumor going around that he had been forced to enlist by his parents. Talk about poetic justice.

Alice asked about Edward's injuries and his own experience. Edward explained about the mine that knocked him out and how his ear drums had almost burst, but were healing fine now. He'd also suffered several cuts and bruises, along with a couple of sore ribs. The majority of his injuries came during the march to the labor camp with no boots and guards who kept hitting him with their gun butts because he couldn't hear what they were ordering him to do. The cut to his face came during an interrogation session, one of several, where he was beaten and tortured, though he didn't go into detail about any of the violence. He explained that the bandages he'd worn last night were a precaution against dirt and re-injury rather than a necessary covering.

He talked about the horrible conditions in which he'd been kept, about a couple of the other guys from their unit that had also been captured who didn't make it, about how he kept reminding himself that Bella was waiting for him and that he believed that it was that that kept him alive when the others gave up and died. He'd managed to conceal the braid of her hair when they'd taken his boots and the ribbon, and continued to hide it during his captivity, stroking it constantly, keeping contact with her the only way he could. He'd been stripped of the packet of letters and was sick with the fact that he'd lost them. He was incredibly relieved to find that Bella had kept copies of all of them, and had taped them into a green leather-bound journal that she gave to him. He then told about the day that he was released and about learning that they'd classified him as dead, and his urgency to get back to Bella to let her know he was fine. Throughout the long explanation, Edward held Bella cradled in his lap, her head buried in his chest, her tears soaking his tee-shirt, while a few tears of his own found their way to her hair. When he was overcome with emotion or memories, he would pause a moment and bury his face in her hair, taking long deep breaths, soaking himself in her scent.

"How are you doing emotionally? Are you sleeping?" asked Jasper. He knew that he himself still had dreams regularly, and flashbacks on occasion, and he couldn't imagine how much worse it would be for someone in captivity for as long as Edward had been.

"Last night is the first time I've slept through since I was released."

"You had a nightmare," Bella whispered, lifting her head from its place in Edward's chest. "You woke me up thrashing around and moaning. I got you to calm down and relax back to sleep fairly quickly though."

"Oh, God, Bella, I'm so sorry. I didn't hurt you, did I?"

"No! No, I managed to duck the one time your arm came close. Don't worry about it, Baby. I'd rather be here to help than let you go through that by yourself."

"Yeah, I know that on the nights I have Rose with me I sleep better and I dream less," Emmett offered. Jasper nodded his agreement with Emmett's assessment.

"Why didn't you guys tell us you were having difficulty sleeping when we weren't here?" asked a disturbed Alice. Rose had a worried look on her face, as well.

"Bella needed you, too," Jasper answered with a shrug.

They were silent for a moment before Bella spoke up. "Guys, you're going to have to speak up about stuff like that. The girls and I have gotten used to presenting our individual needs to the group so the group can work together to satisfy those needs. That's what being part of a family is about, especially this family. I don't even often think of myself in the individual sense. I'm usually thinking "We" instead of "I". We literally are joined at the hip. With the addition of you guys, we've added a lot of new dynamics, stuff none of us have ever faced before, and in order for us to work well together, we have to talk about it. No matter how difficult or embarrassing. Just like what we just did. It wasn't easy for me to sit here and let you tell Edward how badly I fell apart, but I knew he needed to hear it almost as much as you needed to talk about it. The same will need to happen when we consider bedroom placement in the new place, because, frankly, if those bedrooms aren't as sound proof as these are, I don't want to be next to either one of you." Both couples roared in laughter even as their cheeks warmed in blushes. When they'd calmed a bit, the guys nodded their understanding and acceptance of the instruction Bella had just given.

"I think we can learn to do that, though it may take some time, and probably some mistakes," responded Emmett with a sweet grin.

"Yeah," Jasper agreed. "We're only human and men on top of that. We're not used to just saying what we need, and having others give a damn."

"Especially not in the military," muttered Edward while the other two guys nodded vehemently in response.

They sat in silence for several minutes, each reflecting back to all of the information that had just been shared. The silence was shattered by a loud snore issuing from Edward, whose head was again leaned back against the chair. The rest began quietly laughing and shaking their heads. Bella managed to get him awake enough to pull him into their bedroom and get him sprawled out on the bed. She started to remove his jeans before she remembered that he wasn't wearing briefs. After a moment of indecision, she shrugged, figuring if he was really uncomfortable, he'd wake up enough to shed them himself, before covering him with the blanket and closing the door behind her as she left.

"He's probably going to do that for a while," commented Emmett, who was digging through the refrigerator again.

"Yeah, I know. It'll take him a while to fatten back up and get enough rest to really be ready to do anything strenuous. I'm just beside myself with joy that he's home. I keep reminding myself that 24 hours ago, I thought he was dead."

"I know what you mean," commented Jasper as he sat back down next to Alice. "I felt like I was seeing a ghost when he walked in."

"I just figured I was hallucinating again," Bella mumbled while rubbing her face with her hands.

Her friends glanced at each other before Alice said," Hallucinating?"

Bella dropped her hands from her face and saw the concerned looks on her friends' faces. "Yeah. I pretended so much that he was there with me, talking to me, that I began seeing him even when I wasn't consciously doing it. It was during those times that he would tell me that he was still alive and to hold on, that he'd be home soon. Hell, for all I know, he was actually sending me a message."

Silence reigned in the room until Emmett mumbled, "That's just fucking creepy," which set off a raucous round of laughter.

"So, what are the plans for this afternoon? I have to work the late shift tomorrow," asked Bella. She had no intention of leaving Edward there by himself, so until he woke up, her plan was to stay right where she was, and maybe take a nap herself.

"Jazz and I can go get Edward some clothes. He's not going to need much until after he's filled back out, but we can get him a couple of sets of jeans and some shirts for now."

"Have you got his size?"

"Yeah, I checked when I moved his clothes from the washer to the dryer for you last night. I'll just need to get his pants a couple of inches longer. Apparently he's still growing."

"Actually, we all are," said Emmett. "Guys don't actually stop until their early twenties sometimes. I added another inch since basic."

"Do you need new pants, too, Emmett?"

"Nah, I got them a little long when we went before."

Alice nodded her understanding, and she and Jasper left to get dressed for the day.

"How about you two?" Bella asked.

"Em and I are going to be in my room at the big house. I'm moving out here permanently, so I need to clean out my old room and pack up what needs to be shipped in June."

"Sounds good. I wish I could move here until June. I can't stand the thought of staying a single night away from him, even with only having slept with him once."

"It'll get even more difficult once you become intimate. Maybe you can talk to your dad about it. You know how cool he is."

"Yeah, but you can imagine how awkward that conversation is going to be."

"True, but if that's what you want, you'll suck up and do it."

Bella nodded her head in agreement as Rose and Emmett made their way out the door to go to the main house. She wondered how Rose had gotten her parents to agree to letting her move out here permanently. Knowing Rose, she hadn't bothered to ask. Bella shook her head in amusement as she let herself into their bedroom. Edward was still deeply asleep, not having moved from where she'd left him earlier. Releasing a soft sigh of contentment, Bella snuggled herself into Edward's side and let herself drift off to sleep.


	16. Chapter 16

A/N: I don't own Twilight. Edward owns me, especially my fantasies. Just a hint of citrus in here, but there's some tangy stuff coming. Thank you to all of my reviewers! I love getting your messages. It makes me feel like a real writer!

Chapter 16 – 3rd person POV

Bella awoke to the feeling of soft kisses being placed down the curve of her neck. She smiled as she rolled over to face Edward. "Hello, again," she murmured.

"Good afternoon. It's going to take a while to get used to waking up next to you, but I love it," Edward said, brushing her hair back out of her face and placing a soft kiss on her nose.

"I could get used to it pretty fast. Rose and Ali are constantly staying over or I'm at their houses, so I'm used to sharing the bed with them. But you're way more fun," Bella replied with a grin. Her hand traced his face, caressing the lines of his eyes and nose, then skimming the edges of his lips, earning a quick nip from Edward's teeth. Her grin faded as she brushed her knuckles gently down the scar.

"Does it bother you?" he asked, not without trepidation.

"Not in how you mean. It pains me because it meant you were hurt. You are and always will be the most beautiful thing I've ever seen, and no scars will change that."

"No, Bella. You are the most beautiful in the world. It was the thoughts of you that got me through every day, no matter what the day brought. I knew that as long as I had you, I could make it through anything."

"Oh, Edward. I missed you so much! I know I keep saying it, but it just doesn't seem to, I don't know, say enough. It doesn't represent my feelings enough. There just aren't words for that."

"I know, Baby. I don't have the words either," Edward murmured before pulling her close for a soft, loving kiss. Finally, through their kiss, they were able to convey exactly how they were feeling. Edward pulled back a bit, gently brushing away the tear that had tracked down Bella's face. "I'm never leaving you again. I'm not strong enough."

"Thank God, because I don't think I could handle it again if you left," she replied with a bit of a smile.

"We have some stuff we need to talk about soon," Edward said, injecting a bit of seriousness into their emotional moment.

"I can figure out some of it, but tell me what you're thinking."

"I need to go see my parents soon. I don't want to go alone. And I'm coming back here. I need to contact UW next week about starting with you in the fall. We need to set some boundaries in our physical relationship, or at least, I need to know what your thoughts are on that, before I end up pushing you further than you wish to go."

"Why do you assume you will be the one pushing? What if I push you further than you want to go?"

"Uh, I guess the assumption that as a man, I'll take anything you're willing to give, and, as a woman, you'll be the one to set the lines."

"Is that an accurate assumption for your part?"

"This is going to sound strange, but on one hand yes and on the other no."

"Well, that's clear," she commented sarcastically, rolling her eyes.

With a bark of laughter, Edward continued. "On the one hand, I want to wait until we're married, at least for full intercourse. On the other, how long is that likely to be, and can I resist you for that long? I know that despite what my body and our dreams may think, I don't think we're physically comfortable enough just yet, even if our emotions are. And I don't want to do that just because of the emotional reaction of my coming home." Edward stopped a moment, running his hand through his hair. "I am such a girl."

Bella laughed for a moment, before tugging his hand out of the way so she could run her own hands through his hair. "Well, whatever you are, you're right in line with what I'm feeling, too. So, I suppose we're in agreement? No actual intercourse until marriage, or until we revisit the issue at a non-heated moment?" Edward nodded his agreement with that condition and motioned her to continue. "We can explore other avenues of physical pleasure when we are ready, though that will probably take a while." Bella's blush was so fierce by this time that it extended down her neck and across her chest, disappearing below the neck line of her tee-shirt. However, she was glad that they were mature and confident in each other enough to have such a conversation.

"That sounds good to me," he mumbled before allowing his lips to capture hers in a heated kiss. Their kisses were passionate and consuming, as they moaned their pleasure and need into each other's souls while pressing their bodies against each other. Their hands roamed a bit, but stayed within the already-established parameters of staying away from more intimate areas. Always the gentleman, Edward tried to keep his hardened body from touching Bella, but she pulled him flush against her, and groaned her love of the contact. Even if they weren't going to go as far as using that particular body part, she still loved how he felt against her, letting her know that he was, indeed, as affected by their actions as she. She drew her upper knee up, hooking his leg with her ankle and drawing his thigh between her own. She pressed her womanhood against him, letting him feel the heat and wetness that he was causing her, so he could know how she, too, was affected. Edward shuddered against her, before pressing his face to her chest above her neckline. "Jesus, Bella, you're so warm…" he mumbled while he tasted her sensitive skin there. They both began to try to reign in their need, knowing that they had agreed to go no further until they were ready, despite what their bodies were screaming at them.

Their moment was abruptly ended by the slamming of the front door and Emmett's boisterous yelling of, "Honeys, we're home!"

*****

Later that evening, after Alice and Jasper had returned from their shopping expedition, the group congregated in the living room again.

"I need to go visit my parents soon, no matter how angry I am at them. The military notified them that I'd been found alive and was being discharged, but they have no idea I'm back in the states."

"Do you want us to come with you?" Jasper asked. He knew the visit would be emotionally charged due to all the issues currently between Edward and his parents. Not only had they not supported him when he enlisted, they had neglected to notify Bella when they'd received word that he'd died. The fact that Bella had found out at a football game was unforgivable to him.

"Actually, yes, I do. There's just too much between us now and I don't want to say or do something to create more problems. I don't actually need them anymore, but I'd still like to salvage some sort of a relationship with them." The group nodded their agreement with the request.

"Next week is a short week. We have Spring Break starting Thursday. I'd already arranged to be off 'til late the next week, so we can go then, if that works for everyone," Bella replied. Being the only one with a job was beginning to be a pain.

"That sounds good to me, too. Maybe we can cut over to Seattle when we're done in Forks and check out the house. Dad mentioned there might be some work that we'll want to get done with before we move in," Rose mentioned.

"That sounds like a great idea. We can get it cleaned up and get an idea on how we want to assign rooms and decorate," Alice trilled, excited to see their new home.

"Do you guys want the car while we're in class?"

"Sure. We can get Edward introduced to the gym while you're busy. We're going to need to get at least one more vehicle once we get to Seattle and in school."

"We have my truck…" Bella began to mention, before being abruptly cut off by Rose's shout of laughter.

"Bella, that thing is a heap of junk. I doubt it could actually make it to Seattle, much less keep up with the flow of traffic. Even I couldn't bring that thing back to life."

Bella sighed in agreement. She loved her old truck; it had character. But even she had to admit that it had wheezed its last. "Okay, so now what?"

"Actually, I may have a solution," interjected Edward. "Depending on how the visit goes, my parents may let me take my car. They were supposed to have changed the title over to me when I graduated, but I don't know that they ever actually followed through."

"That sounds like a good option. We don't necessarily need it immediately, just once school starts. I think we can work out a schedule in the meantime. It really hasn't been a problem so far."

"Yeah, but we won't necessarily have the same class times at UW. That's why I think we're going to need a second vehicle. Plus, with three couples now, two couples can go out on dates and the third will have the house to themselves."

"Sounds like a good plan. See how much easier it is when we think as a group and work ourselves around the needs of the group? We may have some downtime while we're on-campus while someone else has a class, but we can use that time to study and do homework or whatever," pointed out Alice.

"Yes, Tinker, you're absolutely right," Emmett agreed before roaring in laughter when Alice flung a pillow at his head for his nickname use.

The remainder of the evening was spent talking and just relaxing as a family of friends. Edward and Bella retired early again, falling asleep wrapped in each other's arms and relishing the peacefulness surrounding them.


	17. Chapter 17

A/N: I don't own Twilight. Why SM needs the reassurance, I have no idea. Isn't mimicry the greatest form of compliment?

Ah, the angst in this chapter. You might want to have some tissues handy. Not as back as prior tearjerkers, but there's still pain.

Chapter 17 – 3rd per POV

"Hey, Bella," Charlie called as Bella walked through the front door of the diner. Edward had just dropped her off with a sweet kiss and a groan at having to leave her side. He'd offered to stay at the diner during her shift, but she'd decided that wouldn't be a good idea as she wouldn't be able to concentrate on what she was doing. "How's Edward doing?"

Bella hung up her purse and sweater as she answered,"He's doing well. Most of his injuries are about healed up, but it will take a while before he puts the weight back on." Luckily, the diner was currently empty so she started cleaning up the kitchen alongside her father.

"That's good. How's he liking living in the guest house?"

"I don't think he's quite taken it all in yet. The five of us already have all these plans, and it's simple for us to just plug him into them, but I'm concerned that we've overwhelmed him and it'll be something he doesn't really want to do. It's not like our plans are all that different from what he and I discussed via letter, but he's changed, and maybe his wishes have changed. I don't know. I'm going to let him settle in for a while longer, and then talk to him about it."

"That sounds like a good idea. I talked to Evie this morning. She said that Rose moved into the guest house permanently?"

"Yeah, she did that this weekend. She and Alice were a little ticked at Emmett and Jasper yesterday. It turns out that they've been having trouble sleeping when the girls aren't with them, but they never said anything about it. Alice is over there more nights than not, anyway, but I don't know if she's going to try to talk her parents into letting her stay there on a more permanent basis."

"I guess it makes sense that they'd rest better with the girls there. The three of you are still on the pill, right?"

Bella blushed at having to discuss such an intimate subject with her father, but she also knew that he'd been concerned about it since Emmett and Jasper had shown up at Thanksgiving.

"Yeah, we're all protected. And, just to put your mind at ease, Edward and I have talked about our physical relationship and we've decided to not go all the way yet. We'd like to wait until we're married, but I don't know how long that's going to last." Bella's blush reignited at sharing that last tidbit, considering it was more than what she'd intended to share with her father.

Charlie snorted in laughter and shook his head. "Well, I remember being that age and freshly in love with your mother. I couldn't keep my hands off of her, which is how you got here. At least you're being safe about it, and are being mature enough to discuss it before-hand, instead of trying to make a decision in the heat of the moment." Charlie chuckled again as Bella muttered,"Good Lord" under her breath. "I'm just glad that we have a good enough relationship that we can talk about it frankly. I'd rather be realistic and make sure you know what you're doing, so to speak, than be like Mrs. Brandon and pretend that nothing at all is happening or could happen."

"Yeah, Kim is pretty naive. She still calls Alice's breasts 'nubbies'," Bella shared while laughing heartily. "And yes, Dad, I'm glad we can talk about this stuff, too. It's a little embarrassing, but I'd rather be embarrassed than knocked up and still in high school. Thanks for always being there for me, Daddy," Bella said as she gave her father a big hug.

Charlie returned the hug for a moment before kissing her forehead and releasing her. "So, are you wanting to move into the guest house permanently, too?" At Bella's sudden interest in her shoes, he could see that she did indeed want to do that, but didn't want to hurt him by asking. She already knew that her leaving for college was going to be painful, but he knew it was time to let her go. He'd taught her everything he could, and it was time for her to step out on her own and test her own wings. "It's okay, Bella. I figured it was coming with what Evie mentioned."

"I want to be with him, Daddy, all the time. Even when he's just asleep, I miss him. If he decides not to come to Seattle with me, I don't know what I'm going to do."

"I don't see that happening. He'd already planned on going to UW before he enlisted, and with living in that house the Hale's got you girls, I don't see why he wouldn't want to. Even if he didn't want to start school right away, I'd expect him to still follow you to Seattle. I highly doubt he'll want to return to Forks after what his parents did."

"That's for sure. Speaking of, we have Spring Break starting Thursday this week. I already blocked it out on the calendar here. We're planning on going to Forks to visit his parents and then go to Seattle to check out the house and see what all needs to be done for it to be ready in June."

"That sounds good. Are all of you going?"

"Yep, none of us really want to be far from each other right now. Plus, Edward wants support for when he visits with his parents. He's really really angry at them about how I heard about his death and their lack of communication with me. We're hoping they will let him take his car, which they had promised the title for as his graduation present. That will give us two working vehicles, which I think we can make work. None of us really need to work, so we're just working around our class schedules."

"You're very lucky, you know. Many people don't have the advantages you're starting out with."

"Oh, we know. We're very aware of that. We don't have to stay in the dorms because of the house, and we don't have to pay rent. Rose and Alice will be maintaining their monthly spending accounts, and I have all the money I've saved up, and the guys have their pensions. Plus, everyone's tuition is paid for. Between the six of us, we should be just fine."

"How do the guys already have pensions?"

"Because they were POWs, they were given the choice to discharge immediately with full benefits, including pensions that began paying immediately. They don't necessarily have to work another day of their life, unless they want to. The pensions aren't huge, but they're enough to live on if you're careful. Edward's is larger than Emmett' and Jasper's because he was a prisoner longer."

"I didn't realize he was a POW. How long? Is that why the military thought he was dead?"

"He was captured in late October and released mid-February. He was in a hospital in 'Nam for two weeks before he was discharged and strong enough to travel home. The military didn't know he'd been captured, and Emmett and Jasper thought he was dead because they found my ribbon where they'd been attacked, though they couldn't find his body. There were several in his unit that were captured, but he was the only one who made it out of the camp alive." Tears pricked her eyes as she thought about the things Edward had endured.

"He's a strong man, Bella. He'll be just fine." Bella flashed him a grateful smile as the door opened to admit some customers. "It would probably be good to wait until Thursday before clearing out your room. You're not really going to have time otherwise."

Bella's grin widened in understanding and excitement before bouncing over to give her father a kiss on the cheek. "Thank you, Daddy!" she whispered before she bounced her way to the dining area to take care of the customers.

*****

Bella was awakened by Charlie shaking her, muttering something about the phone being for her. She looked at her bedside clock to discover that it was just past one in the morning. She had only just gotten to sleep, having difficulty falling asleep without Edward beside her. He was excited that she was moving in later in the week, though missed her greatly when she couldn't be with him. After the diner had closed that evening, he'd come over and they had spent several hours with Charlie watching a game on television. The two men of her life got along well and seemed to find a common thread in their love of, and need to care for, her. When the game was over, Charlie had offered the couch to a yawning Edward, but he'd reluctantly decided to go back to the guest house. He'd figured it would be even harder to get some sleep knowing she was just steps away than if she were several miles away.

Bella rolled out of bed and tripped her way downstairs to the phone. When she lifted the receiver to her ear, she could only hear hoarse shouting and the girls sobbing. "What's going on?" she nearly screamed into the receiver. She turned around to yell for her dad to take her to Rose's and discovered he was already standing at the door with his keys ready.

"It's Edward. He's having some kind of a flashback, I guess, and won't calm down. He's really struggling with the guys and already gave Jasper a bloody lip. Bella, you have to come calm him down! I don't think he will for anyone else," answered a sobbing Alice.

"I'll be right there," Bella answered before dropping the phone on the hook and bolting out the door, not even bothering to pull on shoes. Luckily, Charlie had grabbed her purse and book bag, so they wouldn't have to come back in the morning before school. She had clothes at the guest house to wear for class the next day.

Charlie sped through the night, using the driving skills gleaned as a policeman to get them to the Hale mansion in four minutes, less than half the normal time. Bella was out the door before he'd come to a complete stop and flew through the front door that someone, probably Rose, had left open for her. Charlie hesitantly followed along behind her, unsure of what he was going to see, but not being able to just leave without making sure the situation was under control.

Bella took in the situation at a glance. Emmett and Jasper were doing all they could to hold Edward to the bed without hurting him, while he bucked and kicked ferociously in an attempt to get away. Edward seemed to be winning, as Jasper's lip was, indeed bloody, and Emmett looked to be developing a black eye. Both men also had scratches covering their arms and chests from Edward trying to claw his way free.

"Let him go and back away," she told him as soon as she saw what was happening. The girls looked at her like she'd lost her mind. "No, I mean it. Rose, you and Alice stay outside the door in case he gets violent. Emmett, Jasper, I want you to slowly gentle your grip until he's released, and then back away towards the door with your hands up in front of you."

Emmett and Jasper glanced at each other to time their actions, and then slowly released Edward. As soon as their grip on him had lessened enough to allow him to escape, he jerked out of their grasp and backed to the headboard, where he huddled in fear and watched them with wild eyes. The guys backed away as Bella had instructed until they reached the doorway. Bella motioned for them to leave the room, but they both shook their heads. They weren't going to leave her in there alone with him until he'd come back to his senses.

"Edward?" Bella whispered. He whipped his head around to face her. She could see in his eyes that he was completely ensconced in the flashback and probably didn't actually see her. "It's okay, Edward. It's Bella. Your Bella. I'm here, Edward. You're going to be okay, Sweetheart. Just relax. You're home. You're safe." Bella continued to whisper reassurances to Edward as she slowly edged her way toward him. She could feel the five people behind her holding their breath, concerned about the situation and the danger presented to her. They all knew that, even as emaciated as Edward was, he was still a powerful man, and he could hurt her without realizing who he was hurting.

Bella continued slowly moving toward him, eventually reaching the foot of the bed and began to creep toward him, telling him each move before she did it in between the reassurances. She paused when he physically reacted, but never backed away or raised her voice. She could see that his body had begun to relax a bit, and confusion began to enter his eyes. She was making progress.

She continued her slow movements until she was less than a foot away from him. She sat back on her heels, keeping her hands low and relaxed so as not to alarm him. She continued her whispered reassurances, trying to break through the hold the flashback had on his mind.

All of their breaths stopped in their throats when he hesitantly lifted his hand to gently stroke her cheek. "Bella?" Edward asked, his voice hoarse from the earlier screaming. "Is that really you?" He was clearly unsure if what he was seeing was real.

"Yes, Baby, it's me. You're home, Edward. There's nothing to be afraid of here." With a quiet cry of relief, Edward wrapped his arms around her and pulled her onto his lap, burying his face in her hair as he began sobbing.

Shaken by what they'd seen but convinced that the flashback was over, the four friends and one concerned father left the room and closed the door behind them. They flopped onto the couches in the living room, still trying to grasp what had just happened.

"Thanks for getting her here so fast, Charlie," Alice whispered.

"Sure. I'm just glad she was able to get through to him. I've never seen anything like it."

"We saw some of it in the hospital before we were discharged, though not near as bad," answered Jasper. "He woke us up yelling and when we went to see what was wrong, it was like he was fighting with ghosts. He got in a punch at Emmett and elbowed me in the mouth before we got a hold on him, but it just seemed to make it worse."

"Yeah, maybe holding him down wasn't the best idea, now that I've had a moment to think about it. I had no idea Bella could do that, though. She was amazing!" Emmett's statement was answered by four bobbing heads.

Charlie seemed to shake himself out of his reverie before taking a look around him. He groaned and covered his face with his hands. "That's way more than I ever wanted to see of the four of you. I'm going home. The guys can come get Bella's stuff during the day if you want; you know where the key is. Otherwise, whenever she's ready," he muttered as he let himself out the front door.


	18. Chapter 18

A/N: Don't own Twilight. This chapter is some fluff, some set-up for future action, and a bit of lemon. Pucker up!

Chapter 18 - EPOV

That Thursday morning dawned overcast and rainy, typical weather for the Olympic Peninsula. The plan was to leave around two in the afternoon, which would put us in Forks about the time my dad normally got home from work. I was anxious about going home and grateful that my friends had agreed to go along with me.

I turned my head to nuzzle Bella's head where it rested on my shoulder. I loved waking up next to her almost as much as going to sleep with her. We hadn't really engaged in any more amorous activities due to being worn out from the events of Sunday night and the physical stress of getting her things boxed up and either moved over, or stored with Rose's stuff waiting to go to Seattle.

I still felt a pang of embarrassment when I thought of Sunday night, though my friends would likely scoff at me for it. When I'd finally come to my senses and realized what had happened, my shame for my loss of control and putting Bella in danger knew no bounds. And that was before I discovered the injuries my friends had suffered at my hands. Each of them had reassured me that they didn't blame me for what happened, that they understood it was out of my control (which didn't exactly help me feel any better), and that they didn't view me any different than they ever did. They carried through with their words by not treating me any differently than they had, something I had feared. I had been afraid that the girls would be afraid of me, and wouldn't want me around. Bella reassured me time and again that they did not feel that way at all. In fact, their greatest concern was that I would hurt myself, either physically during an episode, or emotionally, by focusing so much on not losing control that I made healing impossible.

The shame really hadn't let up until Emmett exploded at my morose behavior Tuesday evening during dinner. "Dammit, Eddie, get over it! It's gonna happen to all of us from time to time. We all lose control. The girls get pissed or start crying for no fucking reason; the guys get furious about shit that's out of our control and break stuff! We all lose it sometimes! You got trapped in a flashback. It's going to happen. We all understand that, because we know what's happened to you, though we'll never know all of it. We don't think any less of you and we don't want you to go away, even when you pull this morose pouting bullshit. We just have to learn how to handle the situation when it happens, just like you have to learn how to handle our bullshit when it happens. Do you actually think Jasper and I haven't had our own episodes? Or that the girls don't wake up crying from dreams of us being trapped over there or dying?"

He finally broke through to me that everyone had been affected by the war in some way. Yes, I might be the most messed up of the group, but that was understandable: I'd been held prisoner for months, enduring physical and mental torture, watching my buddies die, and all of this had happened the most recently. I hadn't been here to watch Emmett and Jasper adjust to life outside of 'Nam, and they had shared that they'd had some bad moments, and still had them on occasion, usually when they were stressed. Considering how fresh everything still was and that I was overwrought about Bella not being with me, it was understandable that an episode occurred. This was just another part of me that I would have to accept was there, just like the soldier part that was forced to kill. I didn't like it, but the more I fought against it, the more damage I would suffer.

With that in mind, I was concerned about today's events, something I had shared with Bella last night, and which we intended to talk to the rest about this morning. We were going back to see my parents for the first time since they denounced me as their son. Even so many months and some reconciliation later, my heart still clenched painfully when I think of them. Plus, we weren't exactly sure where we were staying tonight. We considered that my parents might ask us to stay over, and that was okay with the rest of the group, so long as the couples weren't separated. Knowing my mother, that wasn't going to be an option. The other option was to drive all the way to Seattle after the visit and sleep in the sleeping bags we'd already tucked into the trunk of Rose's car. This would probably put us there fairly late and that is a lot of riding in a squished car. Not the best of circumstances.

We plan to spend through Sunday midday at the house, doing whatever needs to be done to get it ready. The girls are excited because this means shopping for house stuff, like living room furniture and drapes and stuff. Rose's parents have instructed Rose to put it all on her family credit card, as a housewarming gift to us all. The guys, of course, objected to this. The girls didn't bother because they already know how Rose's parents are and how it'll turn out. It turns out that when Rose's parents offer to foot the bill, they mean it, and if you don't take advantage of it, it actually hurts their feelings. So, we came to a compromise that we could all agree with. We've agreed to let Rose's parents supply the stuff for the common areas, meaning living room, dining room, kitchen, laundry, deck, game room, etc. Our private areas, including our bedrooms (each has an adjoining bath, thank heaven, so we don't have to share a bathroom) and our chosen study, we will get with our own money.

Bella and I, after our very first argument, agreed to halve the cost of our bedroom furniture, but she is letting me get the stuff for our study. She made it clear that she had no intention of allowing me to pay for everything for us, especially when she has money saved for this express purpose. I explained to her that I had a pretty good little nest egg set aside with my pay from the military when I was active, which I never had the opportunity to spend, and then the pension I've already begun receiving, and I didn't want to freeload off of her and her association with Rose. She understood where I was coming from, and told me about how hard it was to accept the things Rose's family gave so freely herself, since she'd been taught from when she was little to work for her money. She said that she's learned to simply count it as a blessing, and to not come to expect it or count on it happening. She said that it was part of the reason why she has such issues with people spending money on her, but she's tried very hard to accept the gifts she's been given. After explaining it that way, I've decided to follow her example to try to maintain that same mentality. The Hales clearly love all three girls as their own, and they've come to really like the three of us, so they just naturally want to share what they have and help take care of the young people they care for.

After our conversation about finances, Bella and I brought up the topic during one of our nightly chats with the group. It turns out that the other couples had basically the same conversation, and while their own compromises weren't exactly like ours, they had all felt the need to talk about the issue, especially as it coincides with the issue of household chores. While we will each care for our private areas as we see fit, there are the overall chores that need to be seen to.

Since Bella is the only true cook, though Jasper and I can make some basic things, she was automatically the household chef. The rest of us will rotate cleaning up after dinner each night. Alice offered to take care of everyone's clothes, which we readily agreed to. She was already pretty much doing this, since she's the only one to really care about whether our jeans are perfectly pressed. Emmett astounded us all by being an incredible housekeeper, keeping the guest house spit-shine clean. I had noticed his propensity for having everything in its place and clean in basic, but I was astounded that it extended to the entire house.

Jasper agreed to do whatever needed to be done for the outside, since he's used to doing that kind of stuff, coming from Texas. The rest of us just chuckled at his naiveté about how expansive snow could be. He'll be asking for help when the time comes. And my job, oddly enough, is to do the grocery shopping. Since Bella will be doing the majority of the cooking, it makes sense that we'd do the grocery shopping together. This left Rose with taking care of the vehicles and handling the bills. We all know that there will be times when we're overwhelmed with classes and homework, and will get behind on the housework needed, and we've agreed that whoever can step up and help out will.

We also agreed that since we guys have a regular income and we eat the most, we will cover the cost of the groceries. The remainder of the household expenses will be split evenly between us. We worked out a system to communicate about what is needed nonverbally so Rose doesn't feel like she's hounding us for money. Twice a month, when bills are about due, she will place out five envelopes on the table at the front door where we will house our keys, wallets, purses, hats, etc. Each envelope will have one of our names on it. Inside the envelope will be a note with the amount needed for that bill period and the date needed by. We will pick up the envelope, get the money needed, and then place the envelope back on the table. That way, she knows who has paid, because we've returned the envelope. We can pay her either in cash or check, made out to her, and she will pay the bills out of her checking account. It seems a good way to maintain communication about a subject that can create a lot of negative emotion.

Bella stirred next to me, bringing me back from my musing about our upcoming circumstances. The feel of her lithe body stretching against me was just delicious.

"Good Morning, Gorgeous," I murmured, dropping a kiss on the top of her head.

"Good Morning," she mumbled, nuzzling her face hard into my chest. Oddly enough, this tickled rather than hurt, and I began to chuckle. Bella looked up at me with a raised eyebrow and an evil glint in her eye. "Edward Masen is ticklish?"

"Um, no, not at all," I tried to say with a straight face, even as she began ghosting her fingers down my ribs. I couldn't stop the laughter that erupted from me when she began tickling in earnest, though she was careful not to press too hard so as to not aggravate any residual injuries. I loved her consideration, but I just wished my body was healed already.

I began rocking from side to side, trying to dislodge her hands and catch her wrists. In the course of the attack, she had risen onto her knees, before finally straddling me to get a better angle and to hold me still. It took but a moment for her position to dawn on both of us.

My hands released their grip on her wrists and wound themselves into her hair, bringing her luscious mouth to mine. Her kiss, as always, was the sweetest thing I could imagine. We hungrily delved into each other's mouths, our tongues dancing together in a mating dance of heat and passion. Periodically, I would nip and suck on her lips, resulting in their swelling and reddening. Within moments, anyone could tell that Bella had been well-kissed. We moaned in concert with our actions as our breathing became labored.

I abruptly became very focused on where she sat upon me as she ground down upon my growing erection. "Bella!" I groaned out, desperate to feel more. I had been seeing to my releases in the shower daily since waking up with Bella was guaranteed to leave me aching, but I was desperate for something more than my own hands.

Bella's hands came down on either side of my head, holding her upper body without my help. This freed my hands to begin roaming, first down her dew-soft neck, then over her shoulders and down to her ribs. She moaned loudly when I brushed my thumbs against the outside swell of her sweet breasts as I dragged my hands down her perfect body. Eventually, my hands reached her hips, where they latched on to help guide her against my hardness, creating a wonderful friction that ripped through both of our bodies.

Bella lowered her mouth back to mine for a heated kiss before she broke off to lick and suck her way down my neck to my bare chest. After the night apart when I had gone to bed bare-chested, she had insisted that I not wear a shirt to bed if I normally preferred not to. I wasn't about to let the opportunity to feel her against my bare skin pass me by.

The rhythm we'd created with our hips continued to increase in pace and force. I could feel her heat and wetness through our clothes, a full three layers of fabric, with her in her panties and sleep shorts, and me in my sleep pants that Alice had thoughtfully gotten me when she got my jeans. "Bella, this feels too good, Baby."

"Yes, Edward. It feels so good," she murmured before lightly biting my left nipple. The sensation, an astounding combination of pain and pleasure, prompted me to buck my hips hard into her mound, drawing a gasp and a deep moan from her. Just when I thought I couldn't take much more of the most intense pleasure I'd ever experienced, including that achieved in my releases in the shower, Bella rolled her back upward before arching backward a bit, putting all of her weight upon the point where our bodies were trying desperately to become one.

The change in position wrung choked cries from us both, as Bella began moving her hips to her own rhythm, rolling her hips to grind her clit onto my hard cock with each downward thrust. I matched my rhythm to hers, assisting her movement, feeling her wetness soaking through to cover my weeping dick in her sweet honey. I couldn't take my eyes from her face, tense in pleasure with her eyes clenched shut and her lower lip caught in her teeth. Her hands were locked on my wrists, her nails digging into the flesh there. I would have marks later, but they felt damn good right now. I was as coiled as tightly as I have ever been, and I knew that I was going to explode very soon. I had to make sure Bella was okay with that, though what I was going to do if she wasn't, I had no idea.

"Bella, Baby, I.. ugh..I can't hold..ah..back much longer.."

"Oh, God, Edward, yes. Mmhh… I'm almost there, Baby!"

Her words nearly did me in, but I was able to hold on, just barely. I had never tried to hang on to an orgasm this close to eruption before, and I was slowly losing what little control I had.

Bella pulled in a deep gasp as a flush brightened her chest, moving up her shoulders and onto her neck. Her body continued to work above me almost frantically, desperate for the release that was so very close. Her breathing stuttered which her body echoed with a tremor, before she threw her head back impossibly far and she screamed her pleasure to the room. I could feel her femininity weeping and clenching over me. Between the sight of the woman in the throes of passion above me, the sound being wrung from her throat, and the feel of her body as it continued to gyrate and shudder above and around me, I could no longer hold back.

My hands instinctively clamped down hard around her hips, ensuring that her body maintained contact with mine as I thrust hard up into her, lifting her right off her knees. My own head was thrown back as a roar erupted from deep within my chest as wave upon wave of intense pleasure broke over me. I could feel my cock spasming, trapped between her body and mine, my release spurting from me over and over with each wave.

After several long moments, my body released from its tensed position, relaxing back into the bed. Bella had already dropped back onto my chest, panting and twitching from time to time. We just lay there, regaining our breath, my arms draped around her torso with my hands resting on her lower back.

"What the hell was that?" Bella asked huskily, when she'd regained her breath enough.

"Well, if I'm not mistaken, the crude term for it is "dry hump"."

"'Dry hump'? What the hell? There's nothing dry about it."

"That's for damn sure," I responded with a chuckle. She was right. My pants were drenched over my entire pelvis. Now that my passions were waning, I was quickly becoming uncomfortable. I gently shifted her off of me, kissing her forehead in the process. "I'm going to get a shower."

She huffed at me from her beneath her hair that had fallen over her face when I'd laid her down. "Well, at least you don't have to jerk off in there, now."

Shock blew through me at her words, my face instantly turning bright red. "What!?! Oh my God!" I could only shake my head in disbelief as I walked into the bathroom, her laughter ringing in my ears.


	19. Chapter 19

A/N: This one's full of angst. Enjoy!

Chapter 19 - BPOV

"Weeeeeee-eeeeee-eeeeee weeee-um-umaway. In the jungle, the mighty jungle, the lion sleeps tonight…" we all sang at the tops of our voices as we rode down the highway to Forks, the windows down. Emmett was driving with Rose sitting next to him and Alice in the passenger seat. I was flanked by Edward and Jasper, and was very glad I am a small woman. We were having a blast, singing along to the radio and dancing around in our seats. It was the most relaxed I'd seen Edward since we'd been intimate this morning. It seemed that the closer we got to Forks, the more tense he became. Luckily, one of his favorite songs, The Lion Sleeps Tonight, had come on, prompting the sing-along and subsequent stress reduction.

"Speaking of lions," Emmett called back when the song had finished, "what the hell roared in your room this morning?" In the small confines of the car, he couldn't escape the smacks to the back of his head coming from Rose, Jasper, and me.

"None of your fucking business, Emmett. I don't comment about the noises coming from your room, you don't comment about ours," I snapped back at him while Edward just shook his head, his face again bright red. "Would you like me to ask about the damn monkey sounds and Tarzan yell the weekend before Prom?"

Emmett abruptly closed his mouth, turning a bit red himself. "Okay, point made. We really gotta do something about soundproofing our rooms."

"It's the doors that leak sound. I can't hear you when I'm in my room with the door closed," I informed a horrified Rose.

"Dear God," Rose muttered. "I'll make sure Daddy has that done before we even get started with the painting. Should he ask, it's to keep everyone else from hearing when you snore or have nightmares." Everyone nodded their agreement.

With that, they were close enough for Edward to need to give Emmett directions to his parent's house. I could see the tension settling into him with each turn closer we made. After a few moments, we pulled up in front of a modest two-story house whose yard looked unkempt.

"What the hell? Has he not mowed since I left?" Edward muttered to himself. Apparently it had been Edward's job to care for the yard.

There was a brown sedan in the driveway and another car next to the garage that was covered with a tarp, along with a ton of leaves. We piled out of the car, taking a moment to stretch our cramped limbs. Rose motioned toward the covered car, "That one yours?" Edward nodded. "As soon as you know we're taking it, get me the keys and I'll work on getting it back in driving condition. It looks like it's been sitting there since you left." Edward just nodded in acknowledgement of the instruction.

I stepped up next to him and took a sweaty hand. "Are you okay? Does it look like you're dad's here?" I asked him softly. Edward gripped my hand tightly for a moment before turning to me to answer my question with a nod. I pulled my hand from his to clasp both hands to either side of his face, bringing his head down so that our foreheads were touching. "No matter what happens here, no matter what he says, I love you. You are a good man, and if he can't accept you the way you are, then it's his loss." Edward closed his eyes for a moment, soaking in my words. He then pulled in a deep breath before opening his eyes and giving me a quick, sweet kiss.

"Thank you, Baby. I love you," he said before giving me another quick kiss and turning back to face the door. With another deep breath and a quick glance at the rest of the gang, who'd taken up residence sitting in or on top of Rose's car, he took my hand in his and we walked around to the front door, where Edward knocked briefly, but assuredly.

A moment later, we could hear movement within the house and then the door opened revealing a smallish, graying man with a sour expression. "I was wondering when you'd come crawling back to me," he said brusquely. His eyes flickered to take in our joined hands and a quick look at me. "That your whore? I thought she was Vietnamese."

"Don't you ever speak of Bella like that again, you old bastard. I don't care what you say to me, but you will respect her. And I didn't come crawling back to you. I came back for my stuff. Let me get my car packed up and you'll never see me again."

Shock ripped through me with his father's words. Edward had warned me earlier that his father was not a nice man, and I knew that already from what had happened between them, but I never imagined that Edward Sr. could be so cruel to his only son.

Edward Sr. grunted his agreement to the idea, raising his half-filled liquor glass to us before turning back toward the living room where the TV was playing. "Fine, the keys are where you left them."

A fine tremor of rage and hurt raced through Edward, before he pulled me away from the front door to the kitchen, pulling a set of keys off of a keyboard next to the back door. He unlocked the back door and we walked outside to let our friends know what was happening. Edward opened and closed his mouth several times, clearly having difficulty controlling his emotions enough to speak.

I grabbed the keys from his hand and tossed them at Rose who deftly caught them. "This is a one stop shot. We can't come back to get anything missed." I could tell from their faces, that that information was enough to tell them exactly how bad it was. Rose and Alice gave Edward a quick hug before going back to Rose's car. Alice pulled a stack of boxes we'd stashed in the back for use when packing up Edward's stuff. He'd warned us that he had a lot of records and books, and really didn't want to leave any of it behind, if at all possible. The guys went to Edward, each giving him a quick "guy hug" before clapping him on the back. We were, in our own ways, assuring him that no matter what his father did, we would always love and accept him. With a nod of thanks, at everyone, Edward took a deep breath and turned back toward the house.

Alice, Edward, and I went back into the house, Edward leading the way up to his former room after grabbing several large trash bags from the pantry. It was a typical teenage boy's room, with a couple of girl pin-ups on the wall, which caused Edward to immediately blush and pull them down with a muttered, "Sorry."

"Hey, everything's going to be okay. Do you need a moment to get anything else out that might be embarrassing? Don't forget, we just did the same thing in my room. I'd forgotten all about those Teen Scream magazines that made it clear just how nuts for Davey Jones I'd been," I reminded him, blushing a bit in remembrance of the embarrassment I'd felt when Edward had discovered the stash of magazines under my bed when we'd packed up my stuff earlier in the week. He'd started to get a bit jealous before I reminded him that he was the only man for me, and pointed out that the magazines were quite old, well before we'd met.

"Um, no, I don't think there's anything else. If you do come across anything though, just throw it away."

"What, you don't want to make sure it's not a collector's edition Playboy or something?" Alice teased him.

The teasing seemed to work, as Edward laughed and shook his head. "I live with the three most beautiful women in the world. Why the hell would I need a magazine like that?"

"Like what?" asked Jasper as he came through the door holding four sodas and a large roll of packing tape.

"We were just teasing Edward about his possible skin mags," replied Alice, taking a soda from him with a quick kiss. "Thanks for grabbing the tape, I totally forgot about it."

"No problem. Rose got your car jumped and they're headed down to the service station for a new battery and some air for the tires. She said other than that, it looks pretty good. She'll change the oil in it when we get home."

"It's still weird having a woman doing the vehicle care but I'm certainly not going to complain. She does a better job with it than I ever could," Edward replied, rubbing the back of his head to ease the tension headache that had begun to settle there.

3rd person POV

Jasper grunted and nodded his agreement. The four friends then set to work, building boxes and filling them, before sealing them and noting the contents on the side. Edward had decided that they could leave the books at the house in Seattle since Bella had more than enough to keep him occupied, but that he wanted his phonograph and records. By the time Rose and Emmett returned nearly an hour and a half later, they had gotten pretty much everything either packed up or thrown away. Edward and Jasper had already made several trips to put full bags in the trash or stacks of boxes by the back door, ready for loading. They'd even stripped the bed and placed the dirty linens in the laundry room. Edward checked his room and bathroom carefully one last time before closing the door on his past.

"That's it. There are a couple of things from around the house that I want, but other than that, we're done."

"Um, Edward," Alice began hesitantly. "Where's your mom?"

"I don't know. Honestly, it looks like she's not even here anymore, with the lack of food in the fridge and how dirty the house is. Maybe she finally left him. He's always been as abusive to her as he was to me, although I suspect it may have gotten physical a few times. I guess I'll have to ask." Edward shrugged his shoulders, trying to not remember the fights and the yelling. His dad had always been about appearances. When he and his mother had helped his image, like when Edward had made that winning touchdown, he was a doting, loving husband and father. But when Edward Sr. had felt that they weren't making him look good, it hadn't been pretty.

Edward made his way down the stairs, stopping to grab a picture on the wall of his mother and him a few years ago, along with a few family photos he knew his father would never miss. He put those, along with a few of his mother's knick knacks that brought good memories, into his box before placing it on the step just outside the door. Bella remained in the house with him, while the rest of his friends went to finish packing his things in the car. Jasper and Emmett were going through the sports equipment in the garage one last time to see if there was anything worth taking along, though both vehicles were stuffed full.

Edward took a deep breath before heading toward the living room, from which they could still hear the TV playing loudly. Bella followed behind him with a hand low on his back, offering him her support and love silently. When they entered the room, they could see that Edward Sr. was clearly drunk and probably wouldn't be conscious much longer. It was imperative that they discover where his mother was before that happened. Edward shook his father's shoulder, grimacing in distaste at the contact.

"Hey, old man. Wake up. Where's mom?"

Edward Sr. grunted and snorted a moment before focusing in on Edward's face. "Thought you'd already left. What do ya want now?"

"Where's Mom?"

"That slut left just after she got your letter. Moved in with her sister in Seattle. Good riddance. Had to call her that I'd gotten the telegram that you'd bit it in 'Nam. I actually enjoyed that conversation. Stupid bitch. Wasn't about to tell her they changed their mind."

"What the fuck are you talking about? Did you not tell her I'm alive??"

"Nah. Too much work," he laughed drunkenly, slowly getting to his feet. He seemed to notice Bella again, leering as he looked her up and down. "Well, hey there. You wanna go upstairs so I can show you how a real man fucks?"

The careful control Edward had kept while his father disparaged his mother suddenly broke. He simply wouldn't accept his father's abuse of Bella again. Edward clenched his hand into a fist, pulled back, and brought it forward with everything he had. The hit caught Edward Sr. right on the jaw, swinging his entire body around and sending him crashing into the blaring television. They could see that Edward Sr. was now unconscious, but still breathing. Edward's chest heaved in anger as he struggled to regain his temper. Bella reached for the hand he'd used to cold-cock his father, bringing it to her lips for a few soft kisses.

"Damn, that felt good," he said in a whoosh of air. He pulled Bella into his arms and held tightly for several moments. "I'm sorry," he murmured to her.

"What for, Baby?" She knew he was going to apologize for what his father had said.

"For him talk…" he trailed off as she placed a finger over his lips.

"Don't ever apologize for him again. You are not responsible for what he says and does. Nor are you like him, even if he is your father. Don't let him ruin your future because of what he's done in your past."

Edward sighed in relief and acceptance. He kissed her forehead and gave her a quick squeeze before saying, "We'd better get going before he wakes up. He's an even bigger ass when he's hurt." She nodded her agreement and took his hand as they walked back through the kitchen on their way out the back door.

Edward stopped as something near the phone caught his eye. He pulled a yellow address book from the top of the local phone book and started shuffling through it. After a moment, Edward stopped and smiled, looking up at her. "Mom's address book. It's got my aunt's address in it."

"We should go there tonight, Edward. I can't stand the thought of your mother believing you're dead one more moment than she has to."

"Oh, thank you, Darling," he said pulling her into a big hug. "You're the best girlfriend ever."

They left the house and explained to their friends what the situation was. They agreed that it would be best for the four of them to go on to the house while Edward and Bella sought out his aunt's house. It was going to be enough of a shock for her dead son to show up, without having all six of them show up at once. They would have the opportunity to meet her again, especially with her living in Seattle.

Using Rose's ever-present map book, they quickly found the route needed and set off after grabbing food to eat on the way. Edward seemed incredibly relaxed now that his confrontation with his father was over and they were on their way to see his mother.


	20. Chapter 20

A/N: Not Mine. Wow, guys, I feel like I've lost a ton of you. Only two reviews for the last two chapters. Should I have stopped it before now? {going to go sit in my corner and pout}

Chapter 20 - EPOV

I never imagined how much I would miss my car. Granted, I've always loved my car and made sure to take care of it, but still. I'd always loved driving it, and having Bella by my side just made the evening perfect. We had a long drive ahead of us, three and a half hours, which would put us in Seattle somewhat late, but like Bella, I couldn't take not telling my mother I was still alive any longer than we had to. I had considered calling her, but I knew she would want us to come over anyway since we were coming to Seattle already.

I pushed the speed limit the entire way there, stopping only once to let Bella use the restroom and to top off the gas. I could tell I was getting tired, but I resolved to ignore it as long as possible. Bella might have to drive us from my aunt's house to our new house, but I knew she wouldn't mind. Unlike Alice, Bella was a very careful driver.

We pulled into the outskirts of Seattle two and a half hours later, my higher-than-normally-allowable speeds shaving a full hour off our time. It was dark by now, and it took both Bella and myself to find my aunt's house. We both took a moment to straighten our appearance and steel ourselves for the emotional scene we knew was coming. When we were both ready, I took her hand, kissing the back as I loved to do, and we walked up to the front door. With a deep breath, I rang the doorbell and took a step back, bringing Bella against my side in a tight hold.

"Who the heck would be coming here this late in the even…" I could hear my uncle say as he threw back the locks and opened the door. He stood there, stunned for a moment before saying, "Jesus Christ!"

"Wrong resurrection," I joked, having now had that reaction several times. I was a bit surprised that Uncle Carlisle recognized me, since it'd been some time since I'd gotten to visit with them last. The bad joke seemed to break him from his daze, as he threw the door wide and pulled me into a crushing hug. "Uh, Uncle Carlisle, my ribs…" My ribs were still sore on occasion, and the riding and packing, not to mention the lugging of heavy boxes, had caused them to flare up a bit.

Carlisle immediately let me go, saying,"Sorry! Are you okay? Come in, come in," he rushed on, not really giving me the opportunity to answer him. He pointed us towards the den before yelling up the stairs, "Beth! Get down here! Esme!" His exuberance was shocking as he'd always been a very calm man. He turned back to us asking," Can I get you a drink? Coffee, tea, cola?"

We both chose coffee, figuring the evening wasn't going to be over soon. Just as Carlisle was going into the kitchen to get it, my mother came down the stairs just as Esme came in from another room in back, meeting at the foot of the stairs.

"Carlisle, what the heck are you yelling about?" Esme fussed as she stepped into the den on her way to the kitchen. She froze in her tracks when she caught sight of my face. "Oh my…" she breathed in shock, her hands immediately covering her mouth and her eyes becoming glassy with tears. I could see her jerk forward as my mother ran into her back, unaware that Esme had stopped moving.

"What the hell, Esme? Has everyone gone mad in th…" my mother snapped at Esme as she stepped around my frozen aunt. She, too, froze when she saw me standing there, seeming to stop breathing.

"Breathe, Mom, or you're going to pass out," I told her as I moved toward her in case she should collapse. The shock of hearing my voice seemed to snap her out of her trance as she immediately wrapped me in a huge hug, crying and saying my name over and over. When I couldn't take the pain in my ribs anymore, I pulled on her arms to get her to loosen her grip, which prompted her to let go and assume the same pose Esme was still frozen in. Bella, having been completely silent and still during the entire moment, stepped forward with several tissues, pressing them into each of the crying women's hands.

"Thank you, dear," said Aunt Esme absently, letting Bella guide her to a seat. I had led my mother to a loveseat and sat with her, her hands still roaming over my face and hair. Esme wiped her eyes before clearing her throat, asking, "Um, not to be rude, dear, but who are you?"

I had to laugh at her perplexed expression as Carlisle returned to the den with our coffee and some cookies. I waited until everyone had their coffee and were settled in for the conversation before beginning the introductions. "This is Bella Swan, the woman who, I believe, saved my life. Bella, this is my mother, Elizabeth, or Beth for short, and my Uncle Carlisle and Aunt Esme."

"You're the young woman Edward wrote to me about, right? The one he met the day he went to Basic."

"Yes, Ma'am. Edward came into my father's diner for some lunch while waiting for his bus, and the rest is, as they say, history."

"Well, it's very nice to meet you, Bella. Get comfortable, because I want to hear the whole thing." With that, the five of us settled in, sharing what had happened, asking questions here and there, stopping to cry on occasion. I chose not to share many details about my capture and subsequent time as a POW, just speaking in generalities, though they insisted on specifics of my injuries, which Uncle Carlisle insisted that he be allowed to check me over for at the next opportunity. We took a short break after two hours for a restroom trip and some sandwiches Esme and my mother threw together, before continuing on, bringing everyone up-to-date, including what had just transpired at my father's house. As expected, my mother was furious with my father for what had happened that day, in addition to him not telling her that I was alive.

"Edward," she began when I'd finished my story. "There are a few things I need to tell you. First, Ed is not your biological father." I was clearly stunned, so she let me soak that in for a moment. "I always feared telling you because I was afraid you would hate me, would think I was a whore. I fell in love with a man named Aro. He was a soldier, and was in town on a two week leave. We met his first day there, and I fell madly in love. He made it clear that he had no choice about leaving at the end of the two weeks, but I didn't care. To this day, I don't know if he loved me or not. He promised to write but I never did receive a letter from him. At the end of the two weeks, he left to go back to his duty, and I was pregnant. I figured it out when I was almost two months along. Ed was a regular at the diner I worked in, and asked me one day what had me so depressed. I confessed everything to him that day, and he made me an offer I didn't think I could refuse.

We were married within the week, and he passed you off as his son from that point forward. I had no idea that I'd made a deal with the devil himself. He was very abusive, in every way that a man can be. Every time I threatened to leave, he would threaten to take you away from me and never let me see you again. When we moved to Forks, I was so excited to be so close to Esme and Carlisle. I thought maybe I would be able to get away from him. But, he threatened to not just take you away from me, but to kill you. I decided that I would wait until you were off to college before leaving him. I could hold out that long. When you announced that you'd enlisted, I was secretly elated. You would be safe from him and out from under his influence. I tried to go see you before you left, but he found out and beat me severely. I couldn't leave the house for almost two weeks. But, when I was able, I called Esme and started packing. I filed for divorce the next day. I have spoken with him once, when he called to tell me that you'd been killed in battle. He literally gloated about it to me."

"That would explain why you weren't at the game that night, and why I found out that Edward had been killed the way I did," commented Bella almost absentmindedly. At my mother's questioning glance, I explained about how Bella discovered at the game that I'd been killed. This caused more tears, as my mother apologized over and over for what had happened. "Beth, it's okay. I can't say I'd want to do it again, but I understand what happened, and I don't blame you."

With that, the conversation turned toward the future. They were understandably excited that we were moving to Seattle in June, and offered to keep an eye on the place when the workers were there. We were glad to discover that the new house was only about twenty minutes away so I could look forward to having my mother in my life on a more frequent basis than I had feared. When we had talked about everything I could think of, a huge yawn overtook me and I could feel the fatigue rushing in.

"Beth, Esme, Carlisle, I'm sorry, but I think Edward needs to get some sleep. We've had a rather rough day and tomorrow promises to be just as busy," Bella said, standing up from her seat and pulling me up from mine. At their offer of the guest bedroom, Bella answered,"I would love to stay the night, but our friends are expecting us, and we have no way to let them know we've made it to Seattle safely. As it is, they're probably worried sick now." With murmurs of understanding, they escorted us to the car, where I let Bella take the keys as I settled myself into the passenger seat after receiving multiple hugs and kisses from all of my family. Carlisle gave Bella directions on how to get to our house and they waved as we pulled away from the curb.

By the time we arrived at the house twenty minutes later, I was slumped against the window, snoring again. Bella got the guys to help get me into the house and settled into my sleeping bag in front of the fireplace. I never did feel when Bella settled in next to me.

*****

BPOV

It took me a while to get to sleep once we got Edward settled into his sleeping bag and asleep. The others had been worried about us, and were almost to the point of going over to Edward's aunt's house to determine if we'd at least made it to Seattle. Rose swore that the first thing she had them install was going to be the phone.

They were, naturally, curious and concerned about what had happened at Ed's house and how the reunion with his mother had gone. I explained generally what had happened at both places. I wasn't entirely sure about how much detail Edward wanted to share, and they understood that. He would share what he wanted when he was ready.

With their concerns resolved, we all climbed into our sleeping bags. The guys had started a fire in lieu of heating the entire house, and it was very relaxing, though the hard floor wasn't comfortable at all. I was concerned about how it would affect Edward. He hadn't complained, but I knew he had been in pain most of the evening, especially after Carlisle's bear hug.

I knew I had to find a way to get some sleep. Tomorrow was likely to be very tiring again. I snuggled up next to Edward, resting my head on his shoulder, watching the fire light dance on the ceiling. I was finally able to drift off to the sound of Edward's heartbeat in my ear.

We were all jarred awake by the pealing of the doorbell early the next morning. A rumble of "What the Hell.."s and "Who the hell"s, along with "It's only 9AM!" from Jasper rose from our camp site. We hadn't gotten down until after 2AM, and it'd probably been closer to 3 before I was finally able to drift off. Rose pulled herself off the floor with a grunt and a groan, and walked to the front door holding the small of her back. She cracked the door open a bit before pulling it wide. "Mrs. Cullen?"

Esme stepped through the door holding a box filled with coffee cups while Beth followed with a bag that smelt of donuts, Carlisle following up the rear. "Rose, Darling! I had no idea you were the Rose Edward spoke of last night! " Esme exclaimed, giving Rose a one-armed hug before walking toward the kitchen to put her box down.

By now, the rest of us, save Edward, had risen from our pallets, trying desperately to wake ourselves up enough to understand what was happening. Edward had brought his head up to see who it was, before letting it fall back with a sigh and a smile. After a moment, he opened his eyes and searched for mine. He mouthed "Good Morning" to me, which I returned with a smile and my love in my eyes. He rolled over and began to try to get up, but it soon became apparent that the night spent on the floor had stiffened him up badly. Without a word, Jasper and Emmett moved to help him stand, receiving a grateful glance in return.

"Edward," Beth sighed as she moved to give him a gentle hug. His difficulty in rising had not gone unnoticed.

"I'm okay, Mom. I just need a hot shower to loosen up some."

"Sleeping on this floor cannot be good for you, Sweetheart," Esme murmured, giving him a brief, gentle squeeze and a quick kiss to his unshaven cheek. "I insist that all of you stay with us tonight, and any night that you need to come back until you get proper bedding in here."

The six of us looked at each other, before we all nodded enthusiastically. We were all feeling the effects of the hard flooring this morning.

"Baby, I left our bag in the bathroom for you last night. It should have everything you need," I told him, giving him a quick kiss before moving to investigate the coffee and breakfast that Edward's family had brought. With a yawn and a nod, Edward shuffled off toward the downstairs bedroom that held the bathroom we were using. There was a guest bath on this level, but we'd decided on sharing the other one since it had a shower and was huge.

Carlisle spoke up before Edward had completely left the room. "Edward, let me check you out before you get dressed. If nothing else, I can give you some pain medication to help." Edward just nodded his head as he kept moving forward, still rubbing his face.

Beth laughed and shook her head at her son. "Still not a morning person, even after the Army, I see."

"You have no idea! That first month, it was all we could do to distract the drill sergeant from Edward's grumbling to keep him from getting into trouble!" Emmett shared as he grabbed a cup of coffee and a donut from the bag Rose had opened.

"I'd say 'Have a seat', but the only seats in the house are in the bathrooms," joked Rose.

After looking down a moment, Beth looked up directly into my eyes. "How is Edward, really?" I knew she would want more information than what he'd shared last night. Even though he'd been honest about his injuries, he'd played down how painful they still were to him on occasion.

"He's actually doing pretty well, this morning excepted. Most of his wounds have healed well, and his scars continue to lighten. His ribs still bother him on occasion, as you've seen, but overall, he's doing better. He's put a good bit of weight back on, though I suspect he's not done filling back out, yet."

"What about emotionally?"

I hesitated a moment, looking down at my hands before raising my face to answer her. "For the most part, he's doing well. He's still having nightmares, especially when he's stressed. He's had a few flashbacks, though not as bad as the one he had when he first got home. I've gotten him to talk about it when he has nightmares, which he says helps him deal with it better. I understand he talks with the guys about what he's not comfortable sharing with me. Plus, he writes almost daily in a journal I started when I thought he was gone. I poured all of my bad feelings into it, so now he's doing the same."

Emmett and Jasper both nodded before Jasper added, "Plus, we've been going to group meetings at the local VFW and he's talked with a few of the older guys."

After pausing a moment in contemplation, Alice asked,"Rose, how do you know Edward's family? And what are your names?" she asked, turning back toward them.

"Oh, shoot, sorry everyone," I spoke up, a light blush coloring my cheeks. Since I was the only one besides Edward who knew everyone, it was up to me to perform the introductions. "This is Edward's mom, Beth Masen…" I began, gesturing to Beth.

"Cullen, actually. I changed it during the divorce. I didn't want to return to my maiden name, because I feel about them about the same as I feel for Ed. I decided to go with Cullen to be the same with Esme," Beth informed us.

"Really? That's going to take some getting used to," spoke Edward from the door of the bedroom. He was wearing his boxers and socks, but that was it. His hair was still dripping from his shower, but he didn't seem to be as stiff as he had been. The hot shower had clearly helped.

"Edward Masen! There are ladies present, young man," his mother fussed at him, while the rest of us just chuckled at him.

"Hey, you're family and I live with them. Trust me, they've seen worse, despite my best efforts, and I've also seen way more of them than I'd like. The only one I haven't seen naked yet is Bella!" he retorted before turning back to the bedroom with a chuckling Carlisle behind him.

Laughter rang through the room as I covered my blazing face with my hands.

"Sheesh! The next thing you know, he's going to walk around absentmindedly scratching his crotch!" Beth muttered to herself.

As if on cue, and perfectly timed, the five of us answered, "He does." We all laughed gaily again for a few moments.

"Anyway!" I said, trying to regain my composure. I gestured to Esme this time, saying," This is Edward's Aunt Esme Cullen, and her husband is Carlisle, who is apparently a doctor, or is as into Edward's body as I am." This brought another round of laughter, with Beth's face brightening this time. Once everyone calmed down, I named out the rest of the group, pointing them out and indicating their relationships as I did so.

When I had finished, I gestured to Rose to answer Alice's other question. "I know the Cullen's through my parents. My mother grew up in Seattle, and she and Esme ran in the same social circle. Even though we live so far away, we do periodically come for important events and I've met them at several functions."

At this point, Edward and Carlisle returned to the group. At the expectant looks on our faces, Edward just grinned and shook his head. "I'm fine. Healing well. Just sore from all the exertions yesterday and sleeping on the floor. Does anyone else need Carlisle to look at them?" he asked smirking, gesturing to us.

Silence reigned for a moment before Rose piped up, "Yeah, I've been having this strange burning sensation…" she trailed off as we all began laughing hysterically.

"Rose!" Esme exclaimed. "You're way more fun when your parents aren't here!"

"That's because I have to be a good girl when we're around the 'important people'" Rose replied making quote marks with her hands.

Edward shook his head before taking a large sip from his coffee. "I'm glad you showed up with breakfast, but what are you doing here?"

"Well, we decided after you left last night to invite ourselves along on your shopping trip. Esme is an interior designer and has offered to help you find what you need."

Everyone began nodding before jumping at the incredibly loud squealing coming from Alice, who was hopping in place and clapping. "That's what I'm going to school for! I have so much to learn from you!" Alice latched onto Esme's arm as they walked away, chatting about the house's structure and inherent tones.

Shaking her head at Alice's retreating back, Rose moved the breakfast litter aside and placed down several large pieces of paper. Upon inspection, the group could see that the sheets were layouts of the house. Rose began pointing out the various rooms with attached baths, a couple of which had fireplaces.

I studied the layout for a moment before pointing to one of the fireplaces that appeared to be back-to-back with the room next door, asking, "Rose, are these fireplaces one of those that's open to both rooms?" At her blank look, we all trooped upstairs, Rose carrying the layouts and a pen to make notes. Alice grabbed a pen and notepad to sketch out room layouts and make notes about the paint and tile colors.

We spent the next hour exploring the house, finally agreeing on who would be taking what rooms and measuring the room sizes for consideration when getting furniture, though considering the massive size of the rooms, it will probably be more of a matter of not having enough furniture than too much. We had managed to choose bedrooms that did not abut each other, without having to actually talk about why were doing so. I was very glad that I'd mentioned the issue earlier, rather than waiting until now to bring up it up.

We also designated several guest bedrooms (the house was seriously huge!) and chose the rooms on the lower level for shared use. There was even a library covered in bookshelves that Edward and I both salivated over, though the rest of them just shook their heads at us. So, with an idea of what was needed, the rest of us got dressed while Edward and Carlisle carried his books in from the cars directly into the library. By the time Rose and Alice were ready, it was nearing lunch time and Edward and I had already unpacked several boxes.

Edward and I chose to ride with his family while the rest followed behind. We stopped to eat at a popular restaurant near the home décor store that Esme had suggested we try first. We then drove to the store, where we were shocked into silence for a moment at the size when we first entered the door.

"Esme! Darling! I didn't expect to see you again so soon!" exclaimed a rather feminine-seeming man, striding up to Esme before grasping her hands and placing air kisses on each cheek.

"Sergei! What are you doing here on Saturday?" Esme exclaimed right back, ignoring the uncomfortable shifting taking place by each male member of the group, even Carlisle.

"Oh, one of our girls is on maternity leave. You can't find good help that doesn't want to breed these days!" A sharp smack issued from the back of the group. Apparently Rose had caught Emmett before he could say what he was about to. "So, who are all these people? They don't look like your regular clientele."

"No, these are much more special. This is my family: my husband, Carlisle," who nodded from where he was while Sergei gave him a flirty little smile and wave, "my sister, Beth, her son, Edward, his girlfriend, Bella, and their friends Rose, Emmett, Alice, and Jasper." Esme gestured to each person as she recited their name. "They are moving to a beautiful house in June, and we need to order some furniture for them."

"Excellent! So, will this all be a group decision or do I need to gather some more of my best people?"

"They're doing group decisions on the common areas, but individually for their bedroom and a study for each couple. We have several guest bedrooms to do as well, but those can wait for right now."

"Good enough. Now, do we want to do the individual stuff first or last?"

Esme turned to get our opinions, smiling when she saw our blank expressions. Right before she turned back to answer for us, Jasper said, "Actually, I'd like to do the individual items first. That way we can focus on our personal taste without being pressured to maintain a cohesive style with the remainder of the house."

"Ah, a man after my own heart! I just love individuality! Give me a few minutes and we'll be ready to get started," he exclaimed before prancing off calling for various people by name at the top of his lungs.

At the muffled laughter happening behind her, Esme turned with an amused smile and said, "Yes, I know he's a bit over the top, but he has great taste."

In typical Alice fashion, she clapped her hands and declared, "I think he's great! Such flare! And I loved his jacket!" Apparently, Sergei wasn't the only one who spoke strictly in exclamation points.

Shortly after, three of Sergei's top designers joined our group, introducing themselves and allowing us to choose which of them we'd like to work with. Luckily for all involved, the designers weren't as flamboyant as Sergei, and the designers personalities seemed to fit the different couple types found within our groups. Sergei clearly knew what he was doing. Before allowing us to wander off in search of bedroom items, Esme had a few last instructions.

"Each of your rooms is large, so keep furniture size in mind. A smallish set will seem out of place in such a large room, unless you intend to split the function of the room. If you're planning a sitting area, you'll need to go a little smaller. Also keep in mind the wood tones in the room. Remember that paint color can be changed, along with carpeting, though the carpet already in there looks to be in good condition. Tile color in the bathrooms is harder to change, but the bathroom and bedroom doesn't necessarily have to coordinate. Just try to keep from clashing the colors."

With that, we followed our designers to the bedroom area, with the designers asking questions about us the entire time. It took me a moment before I figured out that their questions were giving them an idea as to our personal sense of style. At first, the guys tried to shy away from answering, deferring the questions to the girls, but we soon convinced them that their wants were just as important. The designers split off as soon as we were within the right department, and Edward and I got to know our designer, Stephen, a little better.

An hour later found us having chosen the bedroom set we wanted (we'd shocked the designer and each other when we both pointed to it and said, "That" as soon as we walked up to it), along with the desks we each wanted for our study. We didn't need more than one bookcase in our study since we had the library downstairs, so that was pretty simple. We also easily chose the sofa we both wanted in there, along with the lamps to light the room.

We got stuck, oddly enough, on what size we wanted the bed: Queen or King. I didn't think we needed that much room while Edward thought the extra space would be nice. Our discussion was starting to get a bit heated when Beth walked up, listened to the conversation for a moment, and commented,"Get the king. You'll appreciate the extra room during hot sex." She then turned and walked off, leaving Edward sputtering, me blushing, and Stephen laughing behind her. When we could, Edward and I looked at each other and nodded, "King."


	21. Chapter 21

A/N: Still not mine. Just pictures on my wall.

Chapter 21 – EPOV

I don't think I've been so shocked in my life. My mother was talking about hot sex as casually as she might Grandma's Green Bean casserole recipe. And to me, her virgin son; his hopefully, eventually, wife-to-be; and a complete stranger. Now that I knew more about how my fa-, step-father (what an incredible relief to know that I don't share DNA with that man!), treated her, I was surprised she thought in those terms at all.

Which reminded me. I'm going to talk with the guys about sending the girls home in Rose's car and the three of us take a detour to Forks tomorrow. That bastard deserves some punishment, and I know that no court would touch him after all these years. I can't believe my mother put herself through that kind of torture for me. I guess I can appreciate it more because I've been a captive myself. 18 years of hell. I can't even imagine how she managed to make it through that, and with her inner self still mostly intact. She deserves to be happy. Maybe, if I can get more information about my real father from her, I can see about looking for him.

I was shaken out of my musing by Bella tugging on my arm, pulling me to follow her back to where the rest of the group had congregated. I gathered from their various conversations that the other couples had chosen their individual choice items and had just rejoined the group, as well. The designers excused themselves to go tally up our individual sales. They would return for us in a few moments. I hadn't been too shocked about the prices for the items we chose. Esme had mentioned that this store was one of the most reasonable in the area, and she got a discount on top of that. Luckily for us, Sergei was extending her discount to cover us as well. Bella, on the other hand, completely stopped breathing when she saw the first bedroom set's price. Of course, it happened to be the most expensive one in the store, which Stephen shared with me later. Once I had gotten her to start breathing normally again, we continued browsing through, and the set we chose was about in the middle of the price range.

Gathering the group's attention, Esme explained that we should start with the living room, since it will likely have the most furniture of the common areas. The guys, myself included, immediately stated that the largest TV available was a must. At that point, Rose pulled out the layout page with the living room on it, and with Sergei's helpful knowledge, we soon had a spot designated for our new TV.

From there, though, began an argument about the seating formation and how it should be placed so as not to exclude the TV or fireplace as viewing points, or make conversation difficult. The girls argued back and forth about sofas versus loveseats, sectionals, individual seats, etc. They even cut off Esme a couple of times when she tried to make a suggestion.

After watching the interplay for several minutes, Emmett hollered, "Enough!" Silence reigned, but if looks could kill, Emmett would be on his way to heaven. "Alice, I know you love the traditional seating plan of a sofa, loveseat, and single chair, but it just doesn't work for us. The two couches and one seat at the guest house don't work. We're not going to be happy, like Bella has been trying to say, unless we're able to sit and/or lay comfortably with our significant other. In this instance, the function has got to be just as important as how it looks. None of us guys are small, so I'm thinking we need to be looking for some large, comfy sofas that we can work together."

Again, silenced reigned for a moment while the group considered what he said, and waited for Alice's response. After a moment of toe-tapping, Alice sighed and nodded. "You're totally right, Emmett. I'm sorry I was being so obstinate about it. I do think we need to have some single seating for when other's come over, but we can maybe position those in the open spaces around the other pieces."

All of us relaxed appreciably. Esme spoke up then, "Well done, Emmett. You're right on that form must follow function in this particular item. Alice, as an interior designer, we have to remember that we are decorating for the customer's home, and for their taste. I've decorated houses that I wouldn't have selected for myself in a lifetime. The trick is to get a feel for what the customer wants, get them to help choose the big pieces, and from there you can build a design around those pieces. That's why the designers here didn't ask you what type of décor you liked, but about who you are as a person."

With that bit of wisdom, Esme and Sergei led us to some of the larger pieces of living room furniture. We took turns laying down and sitting on the items, making sure they were comfortable and would suit our needs. The fabric was changeable in some cases, so we were really focusing on function until we'd identified exactly what we needed. About twenty minutes later, Jasper hailed us to come check out a couch he'd found. It was proportioned extra large, so there was plenty of room, and was over-stuffed, so it was super-comfortable. We even all liked the fabric on it. Plus, it came in three coordinating colors. It's like the set was made expressly for us. I noticed Esme's small grin, and I leaned over to her, "You knew all along we would go for this one, didn't you?"

"Yes, we did. Sergei and I had already discussed it. But we, being the experienced designers that we are, knew that you had to try out the different options for yourself before you would willingly commit to a particular item."

"Well, hell, Esme," Emmett grumbled, "how about you just show us what you think we'll like for the rest of this stuff. I don't know how you women shop all day. I'm exhausted!" Everyone laughed and nodded their agreement.

"Esme, my boyfriend didn't exactly express it nicely, but you clearly have great taste and know this merchandise well. We would be most grateful to see your suggestions for the rest of this stuff." I was surprised. Rose could be really diplomatic when she wanted to be.

From that point on, we moved quickly through the list. Esme would lead us to the piece she felt we'd like, we'd glance around at the other options, before all nodding our heads in unison. We finished about an hour and a half later, having identified every piece of furniture we needed and placed it on order to be delivered to the house in the week prior to our moving in. Esme had graciously offered to oversee the renovations we'd agreed upon, including the painting and the re-carpeting of Alice and Jasper's bedroom (black shag?). We were all profoundly grateful for her help, considering our lack of appreciation at first. We quickly figured out that moving into a new home with no prior furnishings was actually really difficult and involved. Our living three hours away wasn't going to make it any easier, but Esme was going to coordinate and get it all fixed and finished for us.

We were finally able to pay our bills. Rose wouldn't show us the bill going to her parents, though her evil smile said volumes. We hadn't exactly gotten the cheapest available, though didn't go overboard either. To say the least, we were all glad to leave the store behind us. Esme then directed us to several different stores, where she and the girls, mostly, put together our bedding and bathroom fabrics, draperies, and whatever minor decorating items they thought we needed. We nearly lost Bella in the kitchen store, she was so excited. We'd all agreed that since she would be doing the majority of the cooking, she got to pick out all of the appliances and the utensils. Meanwhile, Rose was put in charge of getting the dining ware and glasses and such. Alice was nearly beside herself with getting to pick out a new washer and dryer, and got the latest in technology that was supposed to help preserve the fabric of our clothes. The rest of us just shrugged at that one. Luckily, all of these items were in the same store, so we were able to get through that fairly quickly. The store manager balked at having the smaller kitchen utensils shipped to the house until he realized that we were buying a new washer, dryer, refrigerator, stove, and dishwasher. After that, he was more than willing to place aside our smaller items along with the larger items, and have it shipped to the house.

After we had been in the kitchen store for several minutes, and realized that the stop here might not be that short, the guys and I excused ourselves from the store. I don't think the girls barely even noticed we'd left. As we stepped outside, Jasper mentioned that he had seen a store he wanted to visit just down the road. We piled into Carlisle's car and Jasper pointed out the way. We were all a bit shocked when we pulled up to discover that it was a jewelry store that had caught Jasper's eye.

I could help but ask, "Jasper, are you doing what I think you're doing?"

With a bashful smile and a soft look in his eyes, he said, "Yeah. I've been thinking about it a while. I know it's fast, but she's 'it' for me, you know? Plus, her parents have really been squawking about us moving in together permanently. I'm ready. I want to marry her. And frankly, I'd rather she have a ring on her finger when we start class. She has no idea I'm even thinking about it, as far as I know, so I don't know what she'd think about timelines, but I'd marry her today if she said yes."

This was a hell of a speech coming from Jasper, who was normally rather quiet. We were quiet for a moment before Emmett spoke up, "I've been thinking about it, too. I feel the same way about Rose. And frankly, my own conscious has been needling me about us being, um, intimate, without the benefit of marriage. Guess I'm an old-fashioned guy after all." After another stunned silence, three pairs of eyes shifted to me.

"To me, it's always been a foregone conclusion. It's always been a matter of timing. I knew I wanted Bella for my wife the day I met her. So, Jasper, when were you thinking about popping the question?"

"This is going to sound even more nuts, but I was considering doing a surprise wedding right after graduation."

After a moment of stunned silence, "How the hell were you planning on pulling that off? I'm sure Alice, all of them, has really specific plans for their weddings." I nodded my agreement of Emmett's response.

"Alice has a notebook with everything they've decided on, all three of them, including their dresses. Even down to where to get the stuff and who to invite. She doesn't know I know about it. I just happened upon it one day in her room while she was downstairs arguing with her mom. She actually pasted a picture of the three of us in it as the grooms."

"Damn. She's certainly organized, isn't she? Is her wedding information individual or all three of them?"

"Both. Are you thinking what I am?"

"Surprise triple wedding instead of the graduation party Rose's parents are already planning?" I asked.

" Yep. With us not having to work, I think, between the three of us, with Evie's help, we could totally pull this off. But we'd have to start now. They graduate in seven weeks."

We were silent for a moment, again, as the three of us looked at each other, gauging each guy's reaction to the idea. I already knew I wanted to marry Bella, and clearly Jasper was in. The only real question was whether Emmett wanted in. Finally, a smile began to spread across his face and he boomed, "Let's do it! We can get the rings now, and I'll talk to Evie tomorrow when we get home."

We each nodded in agreement and turned to enter the store only to be confronted by a stunned looking Carlisle. After a moment, he managed to stammer out a question, "Did what I think just happened actually happen?"

"What? That all three of us decided that not only are we ready to marry our girls, but that we're going to throw them a surprise wedding immediately after graduation in seven weeks?" Jasper summarized for him. At Carlisle's nod, he responded, "Yes. It did. Calm down, Carlisle. We know it's fast, but we are also absolutely certain about how we feel about them, and vice versa. If there is one thing being in the war taught us, it's not to put off doing what we know is right. Living with regret of not acting is much harsher than living with having done something that failed, not that I think any of our marriages will fail."

"And don't forget, Uncle Carlisle," I added," you married Esme three months after you met her. We've actually known our girls longer than that now, and have lived together."

Carlisle thought about what I said for a minute before smiling and opening the door with a flourish. "Well then, gentlemen, let's get some wedding rings!"

*****

It actually didn't take us long to pick out what we wanted, both in engagement bands and wedding bands for the girls, but also bands for ourselves. We could only hope that the girls would like our choices, and resolve that if they didn't, we would take them to get ones they did like. I'd gotten matching plain silver bands for Bella and me, with a matching engagement ring with an imbedded larger diamond flanked by smaller diamonds. It was understated and classic in design. I couldn't wait to get it on her finger. Carlisle agreed to keep the rings in his safe at home, so the girls wouldn't accidently find them amongst our stuff. They had already planned on coming for the graduation ceremony, which we planned on doing the proposing that night at dinner, so that worked out perfectly.

The rest of the weekend went by very quickly. We lugged what we couldn't have delivered back to the house, making a huge pile in the library, which should keep it out of the way for the most part, since Bella and I had agreed that the library was perfect as it was. It just needed some furniture and lighting, which Esme said would be easy enough to work around where we placed the stuff. We then headed back to Carlisle and Esme's house, where we spent the evening and the next day talking and laughing. It was strange to see my mother so carefree and laughing, and to relate to her on more of an equal footing, rather than mother to son. It was like we were becoming friends. It made both of us happy. Before we retired for bed Saturday evening, I asked to speak with her alone, and told her about our plans for the wedding. As expected she cried, but she was extremely happy for us, rather than being cautious as I'd feared. When I left, she was literally bouncing in her seat, ready to start helping planning with Esme and Evie. I told her that Carlisle would tell Esme after they went to bed, so she would have to wait until then. Besides, I didn't want them talking about it when the girls could possibly overhear them.

We got up mid-morning Sunday, and were treated to a massive brunch made by a beaming and giddy mom and Esme. The girls gave them several questioning looks, but just shrugged it off. When we were about ready to start the trip back, Emmett took the lead on suggesting that the girls go back together because we guys had a couple of things to take care of. The girls gave us rather suspicious looks before agreeing. As we said goodbye, Bella gave me a warm hug and kiss before whispering in my ear,"Be careful. Don't get hurt, and don't get caught. He's not worth it." Apparently I was more transparent than I thought. Or she just knows me that well.

We arrived back at the guest house after dark, well satisfied with our detour. The guys had readily agreed after I had explained to them the abuse my mother had suffered at his hands, but were enraged by how he'd treated Bella. The girls had unloaded and put everything away. They were currently working on schoolwork that they'd been putting off doing for the entirety of their Spring Break. The guys and I cleaned up and relaxed the rest of the evening, cuddling with the girls when they had finished their work.

The next day was a bit nerve-wracking. We took the girls to school, then tracked down each of their fathers to ask their permission to marry their daughters. It's an old-fashioned thing these days, but it's how I was raised and I would appreciate the same respect coming from a man who wanted my own daughter. Luckily, each father agreed easily, and then we went over our plans for the wedding. All of them were stunned at first, and then wholeheartedly agreed to help with the planning. They had already been planning the huge graduation party, so adjusting the party to become a triple wedding wouldn't be that impossible, especially after Jasper showed them Alice's notebook. The hardest part was going to be getting the dresses fitted, but Rose's mom figured that out pretty quickly. She was going to inform the girls that they were going to be given surprise dresses for their graduation, but that they needed to be fitted, so when the time came, she would take them to the dress shop blindfolded. They would probably be really confused as to why their dresses were full-length, but there wasn't much else we could come up with.

With that, there wasn't much else for us to actually do. The moms had completely taken over, though we got together several times a week to go over what was being done, to make sure that they weren't deviating far from what the girls wanted. We eventually came across an almost show-stopper: the marriage license and blood tests. It was Bob that came through for us on that one. Being the mayor, he has great connections, and talked a judge into allowing the license without the girls' blood tests and signatures. Each parent had to go to the licensing office with us, but it worked out pretty well. Those seven weeks flew, and I was worried that with the amount of activity and the number of people who knew, that the girls would catch wind of what was going on, but they were so overwhelmed with senior finals and finishing up at school, that they barely had time to breath, much less notice the odd happenings around them. Every day, they would come home, work on homework or study, and then fall into bed exhausted. The guys were starting to grumble about the lack of feminine attention, which I was starting to feel myself, but we just reminded each other than the time was almost up, and they would soon be our wives.

We also spoke with Esme and my mother via telephone several times, with them reassuring us that the house was coming along beautifully, and that we would be very happy with the results. It was surreal at times, having a rather large wedding and an equally huge house being put together, and not really being the ones putting it together. We had made the choices, but someone else was following through with the work. When I mentioned it to the guys, they just gave me an odd look and said, "Edward. They're saving us a ton of work because they love us and it's what they love to do anyway. Just appreciate the gift and the love behind it." Wise advice, I decided.


	22. Chapter 22

A/N: I don't own Twilight . I do own the movie, the soundtrack, the new moon soundtrack, and loads of crap that my husband just rolls his eyes at me for. Check out . I found a t-shirt there I'm dying to get but hubby won't let me. It has "Team Edward" on one shoulder crossed out, "Team Jacob" on the opposite side, crossed out, and "Team Threesome" written in on the bottom. Can you imagine having both??

Pucker up! It's time for a lemon!

Oh, and where the hell did everyone go? No one's talking to me anymore I go sit in a corner and cry…

Chapter 22 - BPOV

"Graduation Day. Finally!" I thought to myself as I yawned and stretched myself, relishing in rubbing against Edward's hard body. I missed him terribly, even though I slept with him every night. We girls had been so incredibly busy with finishing school and getting ready to start college that we'd barely had time to breathe, much less spend any quality time with the guys. They, being the wonderful men that they are, didn't complain about the lack of attention, even though we all had grumbled about it a time or two. Edward and I hadn't gotten much further than the activities that kicked off Spring Break, though we had progressed to him fondling my breasts over my shirt last time. I was ready to move beyond that point now, had been for a while, but had been too exhausted to act on the urge. This morning, I decided after taking a glance at the clock, we had time and I had energy.

I turned my head toward Edward, taking in his sleeping face. He was so handsome. Even with the scar, he was by far the most handsome man I've ever seen. The scar seemed to just accentuate the perfection around it, as did the morning beard shadowing his cheeks and chin. I loved when he ran his scruff across my skin, though my skin often objected by turning red and, and eventually, raw if we weren't careful.

I lifted my upper body so that I was resting on my elbow, my chest pressing into his shoulder. I nuzzled my nose and lips into his neck, delivering soft kisses interspersed with the occasional lick. I heard a low rumble issue from his chest as he shifted his hips, turning more toward me before slipping his arm under me to hold me to his chest. I continued my nibbling kisses to his luscious lips, then down his scruffy chin before following the line of his throat to his collarbones. I glanced up to see if he was awake yet. His eyes weren't open yet, but he wore a soft, pleased smile.

Satisfied that my advances were being well received, I ran my hand over his chiseled chest. He had finished putting his weight back on, filling out beautifully. Additionally, he'd been lifting weights at the gym with the guys, regaining the lost muscle as well. I loved his chest, its peaks and valleys, not to mention his washboard abs. My lips and tongue followed the path my hand had taken, tasting every inch I could. He tasted delicious, as always. I ran my tongue over his left nipple, teasing it to a hard, little point, before nipping it gently. Edward's breath caught in his chest and a moan issued from his chest. His eyes were open now, though still clouded with sleep, but with lust quickly taking over. His left hand was imbedded in my hair while his other hand was stroking my back, from my neck all the way down to my bottom. I moved so that I was kneeling between his knees, finally able to use both hands in my explorations.

"Oh God, Bella, what are you doing, Sweetheart?" he asked in a gravelly voice, still rough from the night's sleep. He seemed about to speak again but was cut off when I dragged my teeth down the sides of his abdomen. All he could do at that moment was issue a deep moan while arching his back, bringing more of his delectable flesh to my waiting lips.

"I have to taste you, Edward. Will you let me taste you?" I asked. I wondered if he knew exactly what I was asking for. I had dreamed of doing this to him, for him, for months. Saliva flooded my mouth at the thought of finally getting to wrap my tongue around his maleness.

Edward issued another deep groan at my words, hesitating before asking, "Baby, are you sure? You don't have to…"

I was expecting that argument, so I cut him off."I know I don't have to. I want to. I've wanted to taste every inch of you since the day we met. Will you let me love you right now?" I accentuated my request by running my hands down the sides of his hips and past the tops of his thighs, beginning to make the circuitous route back by dragging my nails along the insides of his thighs. He was fully aroused; I could see the outline of his hard cock clearly through the thin cotton of his sleep pants. I'd felt it against my butt and legs most mornings, before he backed away when gaining consciousness, and several delicious times against my own womanhood during our few intimate moments. I had never, however, had the opportunity to touch it with my hands, to get a feel for its true size and weight. I knew its hardness varied, based upon how aroused he was, with its hardest coming at the moment of release. I also knew I could expect it to weep at the top, with more seeping out as he came closer to his climax.

Edward seemed to struggle with himself for a moment, or perhaps he was just struggling for breath, before tightening his hand in my hair before releasing it altogether and moaning, "God, PLEASE, Bella. But only if you let me return the favor after." His breathing was heavy and fast, his body shifting in his arousal beneath and around me, unconsciously trying to move me where he wanted me most.

"That sounds like a good deal to me," I murmured, kissing along the top of his sleep pants. My hands moved up the front of his hips, grazing the sides of his hardness in the process. I was rewarded with a loud moan. I sat back onto my heels so I could see what I was doing better, earning a whimper in protest until I ran my palm firmly, but gently down his length, from the tip to the base.

"Oh, God, Bella!" he groaned at me, his back arching strongly, nearly lifting his shoulders off the bed. I spent a few moments stroking his body, letting my hands get used to its feel, exploring the softness below the base, where I knew his most vulnerable place lay. I'd heard that some men loved to have their balls treated to the same attention as their member, and I aimed to find out where Edward stood on that. I was a bit afraid of doing this wrong, but I figured that since Edward was as innocent in this as I was, as long as I concentrated on not hurting him, we should get through it just fine. I just needed to pay attention to his reactions to what I was doing. He would tell me what he liked, though he seemed to like everything I'd done thus far.

Pulling my bottom lip in between my teeth and holding his eyes with mine, I began tugging on his pants, pulling them down his hips, making sure to not get his erection caught in the fabric. He lifted his hips to make it easier to get them off, before lifting his knees to allow me to get them the rest of the way off. Despite the red blossoming on my cheeks, and an answering tinting to his own, I was mesmerized by his body. Like his face, it was simply perfect; the few remaining scars simply accenting the beauty around them. A light cloud of auburn hair concealed the base of his rather large, thick erection, before scattering downward across his scrotum. I could see several veins snaking their way up his cock, pulsing to the beat of his heart. The skin looked incredibly soft and tender, but the hardness underneath was obvious. While I sat there, stunned by his beauty, his cock jumped and seemed to thicken even more. The movement broke me out of my staring, prompting me to reach out to touch it directly for the first time.

We both moaned as I ran my fingertips along the satiny skin, moving from tip to base and back, marveling at its size and strength. For the first time, I felt a bit of unease at the thought of this being buried within me. He really was a big man; how was that going to fit in me? And yet, at the thought of him being inside me, a rush of want blew through me, causing a warm gush of fluid to burst from my center.

Eventually, I wanted to do more than just touch. By now, Edward's moans were nearly continuous, his abdomen releasing and clenching with his heavy breaths. His hands were fisted in the sheet on either side of him, his eyes fastened to my every move on his cock. Pulling my hair out of the way, I leaned forward, placing a kiss in the hollow of his left hip bone, followed by a soft bite that brought a hiss erupting from above me. I soothed the bite with my tongue, pleased at marking him in this intimate spot. Moving my face slowly, I nuzzled his erection with my cheek, before placing a soft kiss at the very tip. I saw a bit of moisture leaking from his slit, and without warning, stuck my tongue out to lick it up. I couldn't have predicted either of our reactions.

"Oh, fuck!" Edward cursed loudly as his back arched hard, lifting his hips closer to my awaiting face. The sweet taste on my tongue was like a drug, breaking through the last bits of my control and determination to take this as slowly as possible to savor each moment. I plunged my mouth down around his cock, taking in as much as fast as I could, before bringing my head back up, dragging my tongue along the length of it like a giant ice cream cone. This was exactly what I'd dreamt of, and yet so much more. I continued to bob my head, my hands grasping the remaining part I simply couldn't get into my mouth. Edward's hands had buried themselves into my hair once again, and he gently showed me the rhythm he wanted. He never jerked my head around or forced me to go deeper than what I was willing, something I'd heard about happening. I knew Edward was a gentleman, so I wasn't surprised by his consideration and respect.

"Bella, ungh… Baby… so good…I'm gonna…" he panted out to me between moans. I knew he was close. I could feel his body tensing, drawing the energy down into his core, preparing for the explosion to come. I continued my ministrations, moving more quickly than I had thought I'd be able to, my own moans in a delicious symphony with his. His hips had begun thrusting toward me; he was no longer able to control them. His breath began to stutter in and out of his chest as I let go of his base, one hand reaching around to dig my nails into his luscious backside, the other trailing down to gently fondle the balls I'd forgotten about until now.

Immediately, Edward's body locked down, his hands clenching hard in my hair, every muscle tensed and held for a moment as an animalistic growl began ripping its way out of Edward's chest. Two heartbeats later, his back arched completely off the bed, his body largely supported by the back of his head and his heels that he'd dug deeply into the bed. The growl transformed into a roar of pleasure that died out as his breath was lost, though his body still did not relax. Meanwhile, I was holding on as tightly as possible, now with both hands clasped to his beautiful ass, my mouth and throat sucking and swallowing as fast as I could. His cock had turned to steel in my mouth as his breath had stuttered, thickening perceptively, before exploding in a gush of fluid that quickly filled my mouth and forced me to swallow convulsively around him, unintentionally taking his cock even further into the back of my throat. I moaned again at his taste, loving every single moment of this new experience. His cock continued to spasm as pulse after pulse of hot release jetted down the back of my throat. I continued to devour him until it seemed to become too intense for him, his hips beginning to twitch away from me. Taking the cue, I gentled my ministrations, allowing his body to descend from his incredible orgasm. His body finally relaxed back onto the bed, a slow slide from steel rigidity to boneless flesh, his chest heaving in its efforts to regain his breath. I gently pulled his still-hard cock from my mouth, making sure to clean up the last of his fluids, before gently kissing the tip one last time.

I crawled up his body before settling into his side to wait for him to regain his composure. I tried stroking his chest, but his body seemed still too sensitive, causing it to twitch several times. I finally just rested my hand upon his heart, feeling its frantic beating slow to a more normal rhythm. His face was perfectly relaxed except for a soft smile of satisfaction gracing his lips. After a few more moments of rest, he was finally able to open his eyes, gazing into mine with an incredible amount of love and adoration. "Bella," he rasped, having to clear his throat a bit before trying to speak again. "Bella, that was incredible! I have never felt anything like that before, Baby. Thank you!" he whispered, seemingly in awe. I leaned forward, wanting a kiss but unsure if he would be willing to considering what I'd just done. Surprising me a bit, he pulled my head to his, giving me a deep soul-filled kiss, pouring every ounce of love he had for me into it.

I tried to keep focused on the emotional content of the kiss, but I was unbearably aroused by what I'd just done, and couldn't suppress my moan or the desperateness with which I held his hair in my hands. Edward immediately turned the focus of the kiss, deepening the sensuality of it, moving his body so that we rotated in place until I was now lying in the warm spot his body had just vacated. Desperately needing breath again, he tore his lips away from my, kissing his way down my cheek before whispering in my ear, "You're turn, my beautiful Bella."

*****

EPOV

My mind was still reeling from the heights Bella had just taken me to, my heart feeling full enough to burst with the love I felt for this amazing woman. She had played my body like she'd been doing it for years, taking me to heights I had no idea even existed. I had worried that when this happened, I would hurt her by pulling her head around or clenching my hands too hard into her hair. I had been able to largely control the motions of my hands, though less so than the strength with which I clasped her beautiful hair.

Clearly, she hadn't minded, if she'd even noticed, I could see as I pressed her onto her back. I could also see that she was extraordinarily aroused, and probably wouldn't take long to reach her peak. Her scent was permeating the air, making my mouth water. I continued whispering sweet compliments, telling her how she makes me feel, how much I love her as I kissed my way down her neck and on to the area above her tee-shirt. I held myself above her using my elbow while the other hand began roaming from her shoulder down to her hip, before finally moving up to toy with the hem of her shirt.

I brought her focus back to my eyes, asking her for permission to take this next step. She nodded vigorously, drawing chuckles from both of us, a light blush tinting her cheeks in embarrassment at her enthusiasm. My focus moved downward again as I moved my hand under her shirt for the first time, to settle my palm against her smooth stomach. We both groaned at the contact. I began kissing her chest and neck again as my hand roamed upward, learning the soft texture of her skin, reveling in the feel of it sliding under my hand. I moved up slowly, gently cupping her left breast in my hand. A whoosh of air left her lungs as I gasped, overwhelmed with her softness.

I was startled when she suddenly pushed my hand away and sat up. Before I'd even processed the change, she'd pulled her shirt off and tossed it across the room, uncaring as to where it might land. She lay back down, her chest heaving with her breaths as I tried to catch my own. She was exquisite! I've seen breasts, in pictures and in person, but none could ever compare to hers. They were full, though not overly large, with petal pink circles around pebbled nipples that just begged for me to lick them. I had touched and stroked them before, through her shirt, in our most recent intimate moment, so I was comfortable with how she felt in my hands. I raised my hand back to her breast, again cupping it in my palm, this time getting to see exactly what I was feeling. She fit perfectly into my hand. I stroked my thumb around the outer parts of her breasts before lightly running it across her nipple. She moaned loudly, arching her back to bring her body even closer to mine. With her bounty so beautifully offered up to me, how was I to resist tasting her?

I leaned my head down, running my tongue along the path my hand and thumb had followed, and finally to her rock hard nub. She groaned deeply, her hands fisting in my hair, pulling me even closer into her chest. She tasted absolutely divine. I could happily spend the rest of my life devouring her sweet body. I began licking in earnest now, interspersing the strokes with flicking her nipple with my tongue and nibbling with my lips, and ever-so-gently, my teeth. I moved between the two globes, using my tongue and lips on one while worshipping the other with my hand, and switching back. Her breasts were soon swollen and heavy, tight with desire, the nipples drawn to hard points. Bella's moans were nearly constant now, her body arching and twitching in response to my movements, her hips and legs restless with her need for release.

I desperately wanted to slide my hand down to her womanhood, but was unsure if she was ready for that yet. She must have sensed my hesitancy, because she arched her hips up toward me and moaned, "Edward, touch me, please!" I immediately trailed my hand down her stomach until slowing to a stop just shy of my goal. I didn't want to make any sudden movements that might scare her. She whimpered her need to me again, and I gently stroked my fingers downward, feeling her wet heat with my fingers for the first time. Her shorts were completely soaked with her arousal, her center incredibly hot. We both moaned again as I explored the feeling of her folds through the fabric. I ran across a spot that caused her to jerk and grunt, and I froze immediately, thinking I'd hurt her. "More!" was all she could get out. I began my stroking again.

I'd stopped my attentions to her breasts, wanting to watch what my hand was doing. After a moment, she became frustrated, desperate for whatever was necessary to make her explode. Removing one hand from my hair, she clasped her hand around my wrist and gently but firmly moved it off of her mound before pushing it under her shorts. Our twin moans were loud as my fingers met her flesh without barrier. She moved her legs further apart, asking, maybe unconsciously, for more. I stroked my fingers through her folds, learning how she was built, exploring the petal soft flesh beneath my fingertips. My lips returned to their attentions upon her breasts, with my eyes unable to see what my hand was experiencing, earning another loud moan amidst the nearly constant purring issuing from her.

Bringing my fingers to the top of her slit, I found her pearl of nerves, again causing her to buck under my hand while she groaned out obscenities and encouragement, "Oh, God! Yes, Baby… ungh.. Fuck, yes! …Shit, Baby, you're so good… more…" I gently stroked her bundle of nerves, testing different movements to see what she would respond to best. Her hips bucked into my hand again, this time causing my other fingers to slide down her slit a bit, before landing at her entrance. "Ah! Yes, Edward, oh Baby I'm so close, please" she continued muttering. I was used to her sex talk now. She's mostly not even aware of what she's saying, but it still turns me on in a big way. I'd been hard since she'd pulled off her shirt, unconsciously rubbing my increasingly harder erection against her thigh in an effort to relieve the ache growing there. I knew it was likely that I would peak again as she reached her own. It might not exactly be fair, but there was really nothing I could do about it.

I circled her entrance with my index finger while flicking her clit (as I finally remembered it was called) with my thumb. At her urging, I slowly pushed my finger inside her tight wet hole. "Holy Shit, Bella! I can't wait to bury my cock into you!" I gasped against the breast I was current lathing with my tongue. My words seemed to push both of us to the brink. Her hips, which had been thrusting gently against my hand, began bucking against me wildly, forcing my finger deeper and faster inside of her while rubbing her clit against my palm rhythmically and with more force than I had expected her to want. A flush, the telltale sign of her impending release, began making its way up from her breasts, where I was now sucking and biting in earnest, across her chest. Her hands tightened painfully in my hair, but it only pushed me further. We were both on the precipice. It took everything within me to hold onto the explosion waiting within me.

Suddenly, I became conscious of the muscles surrounding my buried finger quivering steadily, the spasms growing stronger. The tremors spread from her groin throughout her body until her entire being seemed to be vibrating. Her back arched sharply, almost throwing me off of her, and would have had I not been prepared for it. A primal howl worked its way up and out of her throat, her mouth wide in the most beautiful expression any man has ever seen. My own orgasm overtook me then, my body shuddering and shaking against her, the hand buried within her body frozen but holding tight to its position as her body rocked with her climax. My own body continued its shaking against her as long spurts of come erupted from my dick, covering her stomach and side with its pearlescence. My face remained buried in her sweet breasts as I gave a shout of ecstasy that trailed off into a long moan of pleasure.

It took several minutes before I came back to my senses enough to remove my hand from her, her body twitching spasmodically as I did so, and roll over onto my back. We spent several more minutes there, lying next to each other, gathering our breaths and slowing our hearts. When I was able, I rolled my head toward her, checking to make sure she was okay. Her chest was still heaving, though it was finally slowing. Her face was radiant with color, a large grin spreading across it. She still wore her shorts, though they were soaked with her fluids and mine, and twisted on her hips. Taking a few more deep breaths, she finally opened her eyes and met mine. The chocolate brown I loved so much was shining in happiness, her love for me shining through.

"I love you," I whispered to her. My chest was bursting with love for her again.

"I love you," she whispered back to me, before rolling her torso over toward me with effort. She gave me a sweet lingering kiss, telling me without words exactly how she felt. I cupped her face with my hands, continuing the kiss as I brushed her hair away from her face. We were both confused for a moment when several strands of hair stuck to my hand, but when we realized where that hand had been, we both burst out laughing. Our intimate moment was over. "Damn, is sex always this messy?"

"Why the hell are you asking me? Ask the girls, they clearly have way more experience than we do."

"That's true," she muttered, before climbing off the bed and padding her way toward the bathroom, completely unconscious of her lack of shirt as she tried to figure out where all she'd gotten dirty. She paused for a moment when she noticed the mess on her right hip, seeming to think before the answer hit her. "Oh!" she exclaimed. She turned back to me with a confused look on her face. "But I wasn't even touching you." She didn't ask her question, but she didn't need to.

"Your hip was," I replied, rather amused at her confusion. She blinked back at me before shrugging and turning back toward the bathroom.


	23. Chapter 23

A/N: Not mine. I am, however, working on one of my own. Wish I could share with you guys to get some feedback…

Chapter 23 – EPOV

Bella hadn't been in the shower more than five minutes before a gentle knock sounded at the door. Dragging my sleep pants back on, I opened the door to find a slightly red-faced Alice.

"Sorry to interrupt, but we have to leave for the ceremony practice in two hours. I need Bella so we can start getting ready."

I had to smirk at her. Apparently we'd paid them back for the aural torture we'd been subjected to numerous times. "She's already in the shower. I'll remind her."

Alice nodded with relief and began to turn away before adding, "Jasper and Emmett are already outside helping to set up for the party."

"Okay. I'll grab a quick shower and go help. Thanks, Alice." I closed the door behind her, noticing that the shower was no longer on and that Bella was now blow-drying her hair. She had so much of it that the process tended to take a while. I walked up to the door and knocked. Almost immediately, I heard the dryer turn off before she opened the door. She was wearing a tee-shirt and shorts I hadn't even seen her grab. "Alice just came to check on you. They're ready to start getting ready."

Bella made a face before sighing, "Okay. It's a good thing I'm already showered and drying my hair. She takes forever."

"I know you hate it, Baby. You know you're always beautiful to me, right?" I asked before leaning in to give her a kiss.

Bella giggled and replied,"Yes, I know. But you're biased."

All I could do in response was shrug. "The guys are already outside helping to set up for tomorrow. Do you mind if I take a quick shower while you're in here?" Her eyes immediately became glazed and her breathing deepened before she literally shook herself out of her thoughts. She gestured to the shower in agreement then forced herself to turn back to the mirror to finish drying her hair. Chuckling to myself, I peeled the pants off my sticky body and stepped into the shower. It felt good to see exactly how she reacted to me, considering how easily everyone could see how I reacted to her. I watched her from the corner of my eye. The shower door was textured, but you could still see the basic form of its occupant. She stood frozen for several minutes, staring at the shower door, with the blow dryer focused on just one spot on her head. Apparently, it began to burn as she suddenly jerked the dryer away from her head and began rubbing the warm spot with her other hand while grumbling under her breath. She turned the dryer off in disgust before ripping the plug from the wall and stalking out the door. I managed to withhold my chuckles until I heard the bedroom door slam shut.

The rest of the day went quickly. I joined the guys preparing for the "party" for several hours before getting dressed for the graduation ceremony and following dinner. Carlisle, who was over helping with the preparations, had brought the rings as promised, and I placed the engagement ring by itself in the velvet box before tucking it into the pocket of my pants. I was starting to get a little nervous, but that was okay. It didn't matter how nervous I got, I wasn't going to not follow through on our future.

The guys and I rode with Rose's parents to the high school. The ceremony was being held in the football stadium since it was nice weather. Forecasters said the pretty weather would remain through tomorrow, something we were all crossing our fingers on. We'd planned a huge tent to cover most of the festivities, but it would be nicer if we could keep the flaps up and people could mill around instead of all of us being pressed together under it.

The ceremony seemed to take forever. The speeches were typical fare, though Angela did make reference to Bella and myself during hers. I couldn't tear my eyes away from Bella's form, with her hair streaming down her back, her cap perched back on her head. We all cheered for each girl as they crossed the stage, and we all held our breath as Bella walked across without incident. I knew she had been worried about tripping in front of everyone. Apparently our collective exhale was a bit loud, as several people surrounding us chuckled.

After the ceremony was finally over, we found the girls in the middle of a crush of people in the middle of the field. After hugs and kisses all around, we headed to the diner for our prearranged dinner.

Dinner was a lively affair, with everyone talking and laughing over each other. The parents did their best to distract the girls whenever one of us guys would get nervous, though the girls did give us several questioning looks. Finally, everyone had eaten and the coffee had been served. With a quick glance at each other, the three of us stood up in tandem. We had considered asking the girls at the same time in front of everyone, but we each had wanted to say something special. Instead, we had agreed to ask the girls for a quick walk. Emmett would take Rose left out the door, with Jasper and Alice going right. Bella and I would head down to the pier.

"Bella, would you mind taking a quick walk with me? There's something I want to talk with you about," I asked, offering my hand. I could hear the guys saying essentially the same thing. Casting a questioning glance around the table, to which the others responded with reassuring nods, she murmured her agreement, and taking my hand, rose from her seat. I led her out the door and we slowly walked down to the pier. I was going over what I wanted to say one last time when she interrupted, "Okay, Edward, what's going on?"

"Be patient, Sweetheart, we're almost there," I responded, smiling gently at her. We reached the end of the pier, where we sat nearly a year ago, falling in love. When we got there, I turned to her, taking both hands in mine before bringing them up to give each a kiss. My heart was thundering in my chest, near bursting with the love I had for her. I wasn't nervous so much as anxious to know that I hadn't misread her.

"Bella," I began, my voice husky with emotion. "You are everything to me. You are the reason I am alive and you are the reason that I live. Every beat of my heart speaks your name. Every time I close my eyes, I see your sweet face. I have always and will always love you beyond reason." By this point, tears had begun trailing down her beautiful face, her eyes wide and her lip caught in her teeth. I reached up and gently tugged her lip away before she could bloody it. "I can't live without you, Bella. I cannot live without my soul. " At this point, I slid down to one knee, still holding her hands as she began to sob, fighting to keep her eyes open. "Will you do me the honor of marrying me? Will you be my wife, and make me your husband?"

I released one shaking hand to reach into my pocket for her ring. I pulled it out and opened it, showing her the symbol of my love for her. Her released hand, which she had pressed against her lips trying to still her cries, was shaking violently, as was her body. Her tears had not abated, and I would have been worried had she not had a beautifully wide smile.

"Oh, God, Edward," she choked out through her tears. "Yes!"

I couldn't help but grin madly as I took the ring out of its box and slipped it onto her trembling finger. It fit perfectly. I arose from my knee and took her into a crushing hug, whispering, "Thank you! I love you so much!" over and over while peppering her face with kisses. I felt my chest literally crack with the happiness pouring through me at the moment. When we'd both calmed down a bit, I offered her a strategically included handkerchief, which she used to clean up her face and hands. When she felt presentable again, we made our way back toward the café.

We entered to a sea of expectant faces. I could see by the smiles on our friend's faces and the evidence of shed tears by many of the group that the other two proposals had also been accepted. The girls ran up to each other, each thrusting their newly-adorned left hands into the center of their circle. All three squealed, wrapped their arms around each other, and began hopping around madly in a circle. The rest of us could only look on in love and laugh at their exuberance. The guys and I shared a glance, each of us breathing a sigh of relief. One major surprise down, one more to go.

Once the girls had calmed down some and accepted the hugs and congratulations coming from our families, which we had already received during their impromptu dance recital, we got the girls to sit down at the table again. The plan was to just talk about the wedding(s) in general, in hopes that one of them might comment that they'd, "Get married tomorrow, if I could." There was actually a betting pool going based on who they thought would come through. Obviously, each of the guys had bet on their own girl. Most of the parents, however, had bet on Rose. She was the most impulsive of the group.

Evie took the lead in the conversation, asking Rose if she had any ideas for the wedding. The three girls started throwing out ideas on when and where, often referring to the book Jasper had found in Alice's room. "I've got to find the dang thing first," Alice commented. At the questioning glances from the girls, she added,"When I was packing up my room the other day, I couldn't find it. I'm sure of where I put it last, but it wasn't there. I have no idea where it could have gotten to."

"Well, damn, Alice. I hope you find it soon. We did a lot of this planning stuff already," Bella griped. "How are we supposed to plan a wedding, much less three of them, in Seattle? Are we doing three of them?"

"I guess that's more up to the guys," Rose commented. Directing her attention to the three of us, she continued," We've always wanted to have a triple wedding, but weren't sure, of course, if we would find grooms that would be okay with the idea. So we planned both."

The three of us glanced at each other, acting as if we were checking each other's answers. Emmett answered for us, "The guys and I really don't care one way or the other. We just want to marry you. We'd marry you tomorrow if we could." It took but a moment before he slapped a hand over his mouth, terrified that we were going to kill him for not waiting for one of the girls to say it.

We were all very pleasantly surprised, however, when each of the girls nodded their agreement with the notion. I had to clarify, though. "So, are all three of you are saying that you would marry us tomorrow if you could?" I had to wonder if they were aware of the complete silence awaiting their answer.

Each of them nodded before Bella answered for the group. "I always thought that the wedding was so important, and don't get me wrong, it is important. But I've come to realize that it's the purpose of the wedding that is most important: the uniting of two hearts who love each other so much that they can't help but declare that love to the world. So, yes, I would marry you tomorrow if I could."

A huge sigh of relief swept through the entire room. Again, the girls looked about, confused. With a relieved chuckle, I answered her, "That's a good thing, then, considering we haven't been planning a graduation party at all for the past seven weeks. We've been planning a surprise triple wedding."

Each of the girls looked shocked for several long moments before Alice turned to Jasper, "You found the notebook, didn't you?"

"Yes," answered Jasper softly, obviously unsure, as we all were, of their reaction. The girls looked at each other for another long moment, before beginning to smile widely.

Bella abruptly launched herself into my arms. I wrapped them around her, just barely steadying myself in time to keep from falling off my chair. She began covering my face with kisses. Rose and Alice quickly copied her action. "I take it you're happy with your surprise?" I asked, laughing.

"Yes!" Bella exclaimed, before giving me a long, firm kiss on the lips. I couldn't help but bring my hands up to bury them into her glorious hair. We were interrupted shortly, though by Rose's explanation.

"We always loved planning the wedding, but didn't look forward to actually making it happen. As you now know, the "making-it-happen" part takes a great deal of work and time."

"Luckily," replied Emmett, "we had your mom and Kim and Esme and Beth to help. They're actually the ones who did the vast majority of the work. We just helped to keep them focused on what you three wanted."

Jasper and I nodded our agreement, before he added,"There's no way we would have been able to even begin to do it had we not had your notebook. In fact, that's what prompted the idea in the first place. We actually had very few decisions to make, since you planned it out so completely. We just had to follow through on your instructions."

The girls gave us another long hug, before moving to hug their families, thanking them for helping to make everything possible.

Once things had died down some, Bob glanced at his watch before addressing all of us. "It's getting late, guys. We still have some things to take care of back at the house, so we'll need to be getting up early. Rose, Alice, Bella, you girls will be spending the night at Charlie's, since the Cullens are staying in Rose's old room. Around 10 in the morning, one of us will be by to pick you up and bring you to the house, where you'll then get ready in Rose's old room. You're not to be running around the house either. We want to do the traditional thing of the groom not seeing the bride before the wedding. At four, you'll come downstairs, and we'll begin the ceremony. Pastor Weber agreed to do it without the rehearsal, since you all know Angela so well. We weren't entirely sure how you had planned the whole "doing without a maid of honor" thing, but we assumed you had practiced it and would be able to go with the flow on that one. The guys will be carrying both of the rings, since they actually have pockets." The girls nodded their agreement with the plans throughout the different parts of his instructions. There really wasn't much else the girls needed to know at this point.

We all got up, gathering our stuff, and getting ready to return to whatever location we were going to be bunking for the night. My mother was staying in our room at the guest house, so I would be crashing on the couch for the night. Some of Rose's cousins were staying in Rose and Emmett's room, so Emmett would be joining me in the living room. I hoped he had remembered to change the bedding, as I had this afternoon.

Saying goodnight for the evening was difficult. The girls couldn't let go of the guys, and we couldn't let go of them. We hadn't spent a night apart since that horrible night just after I got home. I was a touch worried about trying to sleep without her, but there was nothing to be done about it. I hadn't had a nightmare in over a week, and hadn't had a flashback in several, so I was definitely getting better in that respect. We finally had to tear ourselves away from them, with one last whispered "I love you" and a sweet kiss. We helped them crush themselves into Charlie's truck and closed the door so he could get going. We watched the truck pull away silently, with our hands in our pockets, shoulders slumped.

Carlisle walked up behind us, placing a hand on Jasper's and my shoulders. "Come on, guys. Let's go back to the house and have a bit of a stag party. It's your last night as bachelors, guys!"

"Thank God!" we all chorused, before breaking into laughter. We climbed into the waiting cars and went back to the house, where we sat up for a couple more hours, drinking beer and playing poker. Evie finally came downstairs at midnight and ordered us all to go to bed. We had enjoyed the party, but had made sure not to drink too much. None of us wanted to be incapacitated in any way for tomorrow.


	24. Chapter 24

A/N: Don't own. Total fluff!

Chapter 24 – BPOV

My mind was still reeling when I awoke around eight the next morning. We hadn't gotten much sleep, as we'd stayed up talking about the day's events and the wedding. We'd done the whole "girl getting ready for a big event" thing, giving each other manicures, pedicures, shaping up our eyebrows, doing facial masks, etc. We'd had a blast, but there was an underlying emotion of excitement and suspense. Finally, around midnight, we got down to talking about the important stuff.

"Are either of you as nervous about this as I am?" asked Alice. Rose nodded her head, though continued to concentrate on putting the finishing touches on my toes.

"Yes, I'm nervous, apprehensive, excited. All kinds of feelings. But I think that's entirely normal, especially considering they sprung it on us. We haven't had months to get used to the idea. But, either way, I think it's normal to feel that way the night before you get married. Every time I start to question whether I'm doing the right thing, I just remind myself that I've wanted to marry Edward for months, I'm just getting my wish in a slightly unconventional manner." Rose nodded again in agreement with my words.

"Okay, good. I was afraid I was the only one that was nervous. I love Jasper, and I know that I want to marry him. I just didn't expect it so soon, but I'm not complaining about that, either. I just can't believe they did all this for us, using our notebook."

"Yeah, it's a good thing you're so organized, Al," Rose responded. "I'm sure it was a lot of work, but like they said, we'd already made most of the decisions. They just had to follow through. I have to wonder, though, how closely they followed the outline we gave them."

Alice bounced in her seat while clapping her hands. "I know!" she trilled. "I can't wait to see what they did."

The talk continued until we were finally able to get some rest. We should have gone to sleep earlier, but we were just too excited to.

I went downstairs to make us a large breakfast. I knew that we would need the energy for our busy day ahead, and I wanted to make Charlie breakfast one last time. I'm sure we'll visit and I'll cook for him again, but this will be the last time as his "little girl".

Almost an hour later, the four of us sat down at Charlie's small dining table and ate our way through a huge breakfast of eggs, bacon, pancakes, and hashbrowns. After we got the kitchen cleaned up, we went back to my room to relax and repack the overnight bag the guys had readied for us for the night away. They'd truly thought of everything. Everything was great until Alice screeched, "Oh no!" Charlie came running into the room to see what the problem was. "My nail! I've chipped the polish! Charlie, can you take the polish off of it so I can repaint it?"

Charlie's face was priceless. "Huh? Why me? Can't you or one of the girls do it?"

"No, not without messing up our other nails. Please?" Alice gave him her patented puppy dog look.

"Ugh, fine Alice. Where's the stuff?" Charlie looked thoroughly disconcerted, while Rose and I were rolling on the floor we were laughing so hard. Alice handed him the polish remover and a cotton ball, before walking him through the process. When Charlie had gotten all the polish off, he left the room grumbling about being glad to not being subjected to "that girlie crap" anymore.

Alice had just finished repainting her nail and was blowing on it maniacally when Bob pulled up outside and honked his horn. It was time to go. We grabbed our things and hurried out to the car.

The Hale household seemed to be in some type of organized chaos when we arrived. We were quickly herded up the stairs to Rose's old room which had been transformed into a salon of sorts with three swivel chairs and three banks of lighted mirrors. Our dresses hung in from the highest points in the room, but had sheets draped around them to keep us from seeing them. We would only get to see them when it was time to put them on. We soon got down to the business of getting three brides ready for a four o'clock wedding.

Evie had hired two hairdressers and a makeup artist to do our hair and makeup. Everyone was relieved that we had already showered and blow-dried our hair that morning. Around one, Esme brought in some lunch for us, along with some calming tea. We were getting very excited, and needed the calming effects. There were still several hours to go. Once our hair and makeup were just right, and our nail color choices were approved (french manicures for Rose and Alice, a pale pink for me), our skin was slathered with our favorite lotion and buffed to a beautiful glow.

With less than an hour to go, we got into our undergarments. I hadn't considered this part of it, but the lingerie that was chosen for me was absolutely beautiful, and rather more modest than Rose or Alice's. It suited me perfectly. Then, with the help of Evie, Kim, Esme, and Beth, we donned our dresses, keeping our eyes closed the entire time. After getting everything zipped and arranged properly, they pinned something to my head, which I could only assume was a veil. I was dying to see my dress, wondering how close they'd gotten to the dress I'd originally chosen. Esme slipped some shoes onto my feet. I was relieved to feel that they had a very modest heel.

We could hear the music starting outside as the ladies made a few last minute adjustments to us. I could hear them murmuring to each other about how beautiful we all were, that the dresses were gorgeous, along with a few teary mumblings about their "babies" growing up so fast. I couldn't help but miss my mother. She should have been here for this, but I knew she was watching me from where she was. Something of my thoughts must have shown through, as I felt an arm wrap around my shoulder, giving me a gentle hug. "Your mother would have been so proud of you, Sweetheart," Evie whispered to me. She had taken over the role of mother in my life after Renee had died.

"Thank you, Evie," I murmured back, returning her hug. I was grateful to have her in my life. "Thank you for being there for me all these years. You were always there when I needed a mom. I just want you to know that I appreciate it greatly."

"You're welcome, Sweetheart. I love you like my own, but you're certainly easier to live with!"

We both chuckled before I responded, "I love you, too. Thank you for doing so much for all of us. I can't believe you guys put together a surprise wedding." Rose and Alice echoed my sentiments.

A moment later, Evie announced that it was time for us to open our eyes and take in our appearances. I took a deep breath before opening my eyes. I was stunned. I almost didn't recognize myself in the mirror. My makeup was subtle, making my eyes seem just a bit larger, my lips just a bit redder. The artist hadn't used any blush at all, having been warned about my own natural blushing ability, which promptly forced me to demonstrate. My face was framed by long, loose curls, with the sides and front pulled back by a clip at the top of my head, which was adorned with a delicate lace veil. I hadn't wanted a veil that came over my face, since I didn't need any more help with not being able to see where I'm stepping as it was. The veil reached almost to my hips, showing off the back of my dress. The dress wasn't exactly like the one I'd picked out five years ago, but it was perfect.

It was ivory in color and shimmered slightly in the light. It seemed to glow, setting off my pale skin perfectly. It had a sweetheart neckline and a fitted bodice that skimmed my body down to my hips where the skirt flared out a bit all the way to the tops of my toes. The sleeves went to just above my elbow and were flared to match the skirt. The bodice and skirt were relatively unadorned, with only some small embroidery work at the neckline and the hem of the skirt. The dress was simple, and simply beautiful. For the first time in my life, I felt beautiful, and the feeling brought tears to my eyes.

After I was able to get my emotions under control and hold back the tears, I looked over at Rose and Alice. They, too, were absolutely beautiful. Rose was stunning in an organza halter top that seemed to glow golden in the sun. The rest of the dress flowed down her body all the way to the floor, showing off her curves but not hugging her too tightly. A long slit up one side allowed her movement and showed off a well-toned leg. Her hair was piled atop her head, much like at prom, though her makeup was more subdued. She was classically beautiful.

Alice's dress was more trendy, being a sheath dress with long fringe covering it from top to bottom. The dress was the traditional white, but the fringe was tipped in a soft rose color, giving her layers of color across her dress. Her makeup was very simple like mine, just enough to bring out her natural features, while her hair, normally spiked all over, was tamed into a multitude of curls, reminiscent of the flappers from the '20s, and being held in place by a pearl-encrusted headband. It was exactly what she'd dreamed of.

The moms allowed us a few minutes to talk and exclaim over each other before getting us to settle down, saying that it was time. We looked each other in the eye, taking a few deep calming breathes. Simultaneously, we allowed a wide smile to grace our faces and put our hands into the circle made by our bodies. We'd been doing this almost from the beginning of our friendship.

"I'm in."

"I'm in."

"I'm in," each of us declared. Our hands grasped together for a moment before we bounced them. "Let's do this!" we each exclaimed, before breaking up our huddle.

The Moms led us down the stairs and through the back door, letting us see the backyard for the first time. There was a huge white tent set up in the middle of it, the flaps along the back down, though the ones on the sides were up. We could just see around the edge that there were tables and chairs, along with what seemed like a huge throng of people.

We were led to the center point of the back of the tent, where a door flap appeared to be. We'd considered walking down three aisles simultaneously, but realized that there were lots of people who wanted to see all of us up close, and would end up not getting to see each of us well if we went with that option. We lined up in the order we had chosen so many years ago, based upon a rousing round of Rock/Paper/Scissors after a heated argument between Rose and Alice. Personally, I wanted to be in the middle. That's where I ended up, with Rose going first, and Alice going last.

The moms made last minute adjustments as our respective dads, very handsome in their understated tuxes, joined us. After the moms handed us our bouquets (again, exactly what we had described in the notebook with Rose's having red roses, Alice's having colorful exotics, and mine ivory roses with pink tips), they gave each of us a kiss before being escorted into the tent and down the aisle. After a moment, I could hear the music change to Pachelbel's Canon in D Minor. Rose stepped forward into the doorway, taking a deep breath and grabbing her father's arm, and started down the aisle. I could hear appreciative gasps and murmurs from inside before Emmett's booming voice exclaimed, "My God, Rose, you are beautiful!" Good natured chuckles could be heard throughout the tent. Anyone who knew Emmett knew he just couldn't keep his exuberance in.

Charlie then stepped up me, giving me a quick kiss on the cheek, before saying, "You are beautiful, Bella. Your mother would be so happy for you, as am I. I know you'll have a wonderful life together, but know that you'll always be my little girl, and you'll always have a place with me should you want it. I love you, Sweetheart." With that he gave me a brief hug.

I was stunned. Charlie rarely expressed his feelings, so this was a major declaration for him. "I love you, too, Daddy. Thanks for always being there for me." I returned his hug and kiss. With a smile for each other, and a deep breath, we turned to get into position for our walk down the aisle. We waited until Rose reached the front of the chairs before beginning our walk. At first, I concentrated on maintaining my footing and trying to keep pace with the music. However, when I looked up and met a set of piercing green eyes, I could see, hear, nor think of anything but Edward.

He was gorgeous. They'd decided to wear tuxedos, rather than their dress Army uniforms, I guess because none of them would fit anymore. All three of the guys had grown and filled out since coming home. He'd chosen a black, single-breasted tux without tails, and looked incredibly handsome in it. His crisp white shirt and smart black bowtie completed his attire. An ivory rose with a pink blush, a perfect match to my bouquet, adorned his shoulder.

The aisle seemed to go on forever, but we finally reached the front, where my father placed my hand into Edward's in a gesture as old as mankind. Edward and I took our places in front of Pastor Weber, indicated by a large sign taped to the floor with our names clearly printed on it. I had to smile, but I was glad that Pastor Weber had found a way to keep all our names straight. Edward and I held hands and faced each other, devouring each other with our eyes, while Alice and Carl made their way down the aisle. Edward reached up to wipe away a tear, keeping it from trailing down my face and possibly ruining my makeup. "You are so beautiful, Bella! You take my breath away. I can't believe that you're marrying me today," he murmured to me, before lifting my hand to kiss the back of it. I blushed, as I always did when he gave me compliments.

"You are very handsome, Edward. I couldn't wait to get to you. I think I just dragged my father down the aisle," I quipped. Edward chuckled and nodded in agreement, causing both of us to smile widely. Finally, Alice made it to the front and we all moved to face the pastor.

"Dearly Beloved, family and friends. We gather here for a momentous occasion: the joining of not just one set of hearts, but three. First off, "he intoned, moving his focus to the dads that were still standing behind their respective couples. "Who gives these women to these men?"

The dads answered in unison, obviously having practiced. "Her mother and I do, along with her family and friends," they answered before going to their seats. I had to fight back tears again at Charlie's inclusion of my mother in the answer.

The rest of the ceremony seemed to speed by, my attention almost solely focused on the man by my side, from whose eyes I could not look away. We got to the vow part, where we had to individually repeat after the pastor, and I managed to get my vows out, though I'd have to guess only Edward and Pastor Weber could hear me with my throat so clogged with emotion. Edward's vows to me were similarly choked with emotion, though he at least managed to be a bit louder.

When we got to the exchange of the rings, the girls did exactly as we'd practiced over the years. Since this was also being done individually and Rose and Emmett were first, Rose passed me her bouquet to hold. Emmett pulled out two wedding rings from his pocket and the pastor blessed them. They continued their vows to each other, Rose's voice soft and warm, Emmett's uncharacteristically soft and broken as he choked up on tears. Once their part was completed, I passed Rose, with Emmett's help, both her bouquet and mine. Edward produced a matching set of wedding bands for Pastor Weber to repeat his blessing. We spoke of our commitment to each other, our gifts to each other, our fidelity to each other and to our marriage. I couldn't help the sob that escaped as he slid the band over my finger, just as he couldn't stop the tears that trailed down his face as I slid his on. I reached up to wipe the tears from his face as he did the same. Our portion of it finished, I motioned for Edward to grab Alice's bouquet, which he readily did as I returned to take mine from Rose. She and Emmett were so lost in each other's eyes that she barely noticed when I lifted it out of her hand, nearly having to shove Emmett out of the way to get to it.

With the vows and the rings exchanged (and Alice's bouquet returned to her), Pastor Weber intoned a few more words, though I couldn't tell you what they were, before I heard the words I'd been waiting for: "Gentlemen, you may kiss your bride." Edward gently cupped my face in his hands, tilting my head up to receive the most thrilling, emotion-filled kiss I'd ever experienced. I wrapped my arms around his neck, pouring myself into the kiss. When we finally parted, with a few final pecks and whispered "I love you"s, we moved apart just slightly and became aware of the clapping and whistles sounding around us. I wasn't sure what to make of the wolf whistles until I glanced over at Emmett, who had Rose bent back, with her head almost to the floor in a devouring kiss. Edward and I began laughing along with the rest of the crowd, before turning to see Alice being cradled in Jasper's arms, her feet completely off the floor, their kisses gentle though no less intense.

Finally, the other two couples broke apart and Pastor Weber was able to complete the ceremony with the customary introductions: "It is my great honor to introduce you for the first time to Mr. and Mrs. Emmett McCarty, Mr. and Mrs. Edward Cullen (which brought a few gasps since we hadn't shared our decision to not use Masen), and Mr. and Mrs. Jasper Whitlock!" With that, we each, in order, walked back down the aisle.

The rest of the evening flew by. The back flaps of the tent were lifted, and people loitered around the entire yard while the six of us posed for pictures and the area under the tent was rearranged to facilitate the reception. Most of our friends were there, since this was originally supposed to be a graduation party, and were all astounded that the guys had planned a surprise wedding for us. The girls generally sighed, saying that they were so romantic, while the guys gave them glares for setting the bar so high for them in the future. We didn't care what they thought, we were just ecstatic with what we'd been given.

After dinner and the usual wedding traditions of the toasts, cutting the cake (which Edward and I did not smash into each other's faces, unlike the other two), and the throwing of the bouquets, we finally got to our first dance. They turned the lights down a bit as the DJ put on "There is Love" by Paul Stookey, the first song we'd danced to with our respective partners.

Edward pulled me in close, wrapping his arms around my waist while I snuggled into his chest. "Are you happy, Sweet Girl?" he asked.

"Absolutely," I answered. "You?"

"Absolutely, though I'll be glad when we can leave for our honeymoon."

"We're having a honeymoon, too?" I asked, popping my head up to look at him.

"Yes, we're going to Cancun for a week. A gift to all of us from your father. We fly out tomorrow, but tonight we're staying at the Aberdeen Inn. We briefly thought about taking separate honeymoons, since you didn't spell out what you wanted in your notebook, but we figured you would be happier with us all together. We'll be sure to find some alone time while we're there, though."

"Oh my God," I breathed. "You guys are just too wonderful! First a surprise wedding, then a week in Mexico?"

"You're more than worth it, Sweetheart. Are you happy with the wedding? Did we do it right?"

"It was perfect, Edward. Better than I ever imagined it. I still can't believe all of you did that for us. I've never felt so loved," I sniffled out, digging my face into his chest.

"You are loved very much, Bella, by everyone here. With all of us working on it, it wasn't too difficult for us to do, and we all enjoyed working together. It gave us the opportunity to really get to know each other. We formed some great bonds."

"I can see that. You're very comfortable with my family."

"Yes, and they're my family now too. Your dad's a hoot! He has great stories, especially about you."

"Figures," I grumbled, looking down as my face flamed.

Edward lifted my chin with a finger, "You were an adorable little girl, and I can't wait to have a little Bella of our own," he whispered before giving me a sweet kiss, effectively making me forget what I was grumbling about.

About an hour later, the three couples merged in the center and agreed that it was time to leave the party. We started our goodbyes to the family, thanking each of them profusely for helping to make our dream come true. As we were saying goodbye to Beth, a couple of older gentlemen walked up to Edward and patted his back.

"Sorry we're late, Edward. We didn't finish in Seattle as early as we'd hoped. One of the guys had a bad week."

Edward shook his hand before saying," No problem, John. I was wondering if you were going to make it. We were just getting ready to go, but stay and have some dinner or cake or something. There are a couple of other guys from the local here, too."

"We'll do that. By the way, this is Aro Volturi, from the Seattle VFW, that I wanted to introduce you to before you left," John trailed off while gesturing to the other gentleman.

We turned to greet the other man, only to find that he and Beth were frozen in their places, staring at each other. "Bethie?" he whispered.

"Aro? Is that you?" she breathed back. A moment passed before they were suddenly in each other's arms, both of them crying and murmuring to each other. The rest of us just stood there in shock.

"Um, Mom? What's going on? Mom!" Edward asked, seeming to get a bit disturbed at the situation.

Beth and Aro reluctantly pulled apart, still staring into each other's eyes. Beth was finally able to look away, turning to face her son. "Edward, this is Aro, the man I told you about. Your father."

"What?" Aro yelped. "What do you mean his father, Beth?" pulling her back around to face him.

"I was pregnant when you left, Aro. You left me no way to contact you to tell you. I tried contacting you, but no one could help me. Aro, a lot of things happened after you left, bad things. We only just got out of that situation a year ago. I won't go into it here, but let's suffice it to say that we're all in a better place now. I don't blame you for what happened, though I will always wish it had gone differently."

"Oh my God, my sweet Beth, I'm so sorry. I almost wrote and called you so many times over the years. I kept telling myself that you would be better off forgetting about me, that I was bad for you, that I'd ruin your life. Your parents would never have approved of me. It never crossed my mind that I might be leaving such a situation behind. I'm so sorry. How can you ever forgive me for being so stupid?" Aro wrapped his arms around her, dropping his head down to rest upon her shoulder as he cried.

"There was never anything to forgive, Aro. You thought you were doing the right thing, though I cannot fathom why you would think having you in my life would ruin it. My parents never approved of anyone, including me." Beth wrapped her arms around Aro, holding him close. They clearly couldn't help their need to touch one another. "Aro," she murmured, pulling him up to meet her eyes. "Do you still love me after all this time?"

"Yes, Beth. I never stopped loving you. I thought of you every day. The reason I live in Seattle is because you mentioned that your sister lived there. I hoped that someday we might run into each other again. It's the only thing that has kept me going for all these years."

Beth pulled him in for a long kiss before tearing herself away to say, "Good, because I still love you, too. I never stopped. Your memory and Edward are the only things that got me through the last 18 years. I hope you're ready for this, because I'm not going anywhere anytime soon."

"Thank God!" Aro exclaimed, before taking her into his arms once more.

The rest of us stood silently by, taking in the entire scene. I looked at Edward, wondering how he felt about the entire situation. His eyes were wide with shock, though he seemed happy for his mother. I was afraid he would resent Aro for abandoning her so many years ago. I squeezed his hand, bringing his focus back to me. "Are you okay?" I mouthed to him. With a small smile, he nodded back to me before turning back to his parents. He cleared his throat loudly to gain their attention.

"Mom, Aro, I'm still in shock about this whole thing, but I'm happy you've found each other again. Aro, I look forward to getting to know you. However, we have a honeymoon to get to, and we'll be leaving shortly." With that, our departure was set in motion once more. Edward shook Aro's hand strongly, before pulling him in for a guy-hug. He then gave his mother a huge hug, whispering to her the entire time, though I couldn't make out what was said. Tears continued to stream down her face, as they had been since her eyes had locked on Aro's face, though her smile clearly showed that they were happy tears.

We were finally able to make our way to the waiting limo, piling into the back. The guys assured us that Evie and Kim had packed our luggage for the honeymoon, having bought quite a bit of new stuff in preparation, so we should have everything we would need. It took about ten minutes to get to the Aberdeen Inn, where the guys grabbed small overnight bags, and then proceeded to carry each of us over the thresh-hold. Edward continued to carry me up the stairs before finally turning into a beautifully decorated room, complete with lit fireplace (it may be late May, but the evenings could still get chilly) and attached bathroom with a huge tub. He kissed me as he set me on my feet, saying, "I love you, Mrs. Cullen. You've made me the happiest man in the world."

His words whispered across my lips, making them tingle, making other areas of my body tingle. I'd been ignoring the signals being sent by my body all night, knowing that this night, we would finally be able to truly show each other how we loved each other. And finally, it was time.


	25. Chapter 25

A/N: Twilight not mine. Mmmm, married to Edward.

Is it hot in here???

Chapter 25 – EPOV

My heart pounded in my chest as I placed Bella on her feet just inside the room. Part of it was probably carrying her all the way from outside, and up the stairs, even though she hardly weighed anything, but I knew that the majority of it was from excited anticipation of what we were about to do.

"You're welcome, Mr. Cullen. You've made me the happiest woman in the world, "she replied, wrapping her arms around my neck. We kissed for several long minutes, the electricity that always seemed to flow between us picking up in intensity and pace. It took everything I had to tear my lips from hers.

"Evie left something for you in the bathroom. I wasn't allowed to look. And she said to hang your dress on the back of the door; they'll be around to get them all in the morning so they can be properly cared for." Bella dazedly took in my words, before shaking her head to clear it. With a small smile, she went into the bathroom, closing the door behind her.

I stood there for a moment, still dazed by the day's events. I was married to the most beautiful, wonderful girl in the world. Bella was mine, for the rest of our lives. No one could take her away from me now.

I finally shook myself out of my stupor to pull off my tuxedo coat and the bothersome bowtie. I never mentioned it, but the bowtie was causing some uncomfortable flashbacks to when I was being tortured. Choking was standard fare for them. Luckily, the issue vanished when Bella was near me, so I'd only had to endure for a couple of hours before she joined me at the makeshift altar.

Just as I was unbuttoning my sleeves, the door to the bathroom cracked open. I turned to look, but all I could see was Bella's back. "Baby, can you help me? I can't get my veil off or my dress unzipped. I guess none of us thought about this part."

"I'm always glad to help you, Sweet Girl. Especially when you're getting undressed," I added in a low, hungry tone. It pleased me to see Bella shiver in response. I gently removed her veil, seeing that several strands of hair had wrapped around the clip, making it impossible for her to get it off without pulling her hair painfully. I then moved her hair to the side, being sure to drag my fingers gently across her skin, leaving goosebumps in my wake. I unhooked her dress and then unzipped it down to her waist, revealing the delicate skin of her back to me. Again, I ran my fingers down her bare skin, skimming over her bra. Again, she shivered. I couldn't help but chuckle low in my chest. "Are you cold? I should let you finish what you were doing and go stoke the fire."

Breathing a bit fast, Bella looked at me over her shoulder, her eyes hooded with excitement. "No, I'm not cold at all. But go ahead and stoke that fire. We'll see how hot we can get tonight." I couldn't help my groan in response to her teasing. She gave me a sassy smile, before again closing the door. I turned away from it, adjusting my pants to be more comfortable, before going to see about the fire. I turned on one small lamp on a table across the room from the bed and turned off the main lights. The fire also gave off a bit of light, enough to see her by, but hopefully dark enough to keep her from becoming self-conscious.

I finished unbuttoning my sleeves before taking off my shoes and socks. I then wandered around the room. I had no idea what to do next. I'd just sat down on the foot of the bed when the door to the bathroom cracked open and the light went out. I unconsciously stood up and stared in awe at the vision before me. Her hair was down around her shoulders, still gently curled from earlier. She wore a white diaphanous gown with spaghetti straps at the shoulders and a sweetheart neckline, with the rest of it skimming her body down to her ankles. The fabric was so thin that I could make out the outline of her body through it, though thick enough to lend her some modesty. When she moved, it flowed around her like water. It appeared that she wasn't wearing anything underneath.

"Jesus, Bella. You're exquisite!" I couldn't help but walk toward her, my hand reaching up to trace the side of her face and down her neck, to finally stop at the straps of her gown. Her face, which had been bright red and uncertain, turned happy with my reaction, before changing once again to a combination of love and lust.

"Thank you, Edward. I loved seeing you in your tux, but I would love to see you without your shirt now," she breathed at me. Clearly, my tiger was out to play. I couldn't wait.

I pulled her to me, crushing her in my arms as my lips crashed into hers. After a few moments of heated kisses, I felt her hands on my chest, working on my buttons. I started at the bottom since she'd started at the top, and we met in the middle, finally able to remove the offending piece of fabric. I groaned when I pulled her heavenly body against mine. My hold on my control was tenuous at best, and I had to get a better hold on it if I wanted this to last longer, and to take care of Bella as her barrier was breached. I had felt it yesterday morning, and could tell that it wasn't that strongly attached, so hopefully it wouldn't be that painful to eradicate.

I scooped Bella into my arms, marveling again at her lightness, before gently placing her in the middle of the huge bed. We continued kissing as I allowed my free hand to stroke her face and neck, moving her hair out of the way, before moving my lips past her chin and to her sensitive neck. She moaned as I licked and nibbled on the sensitive spot just under her ear. My hand continued its explorations, following the strap from her shoulder down to her breast, caressing it gently before brushing her already-pebbled nipple with my thumb. Her reaction was electric, suddenly arching her back with a small gasp as she grabbed my hair with both hands. I gently tugged the strap down her shoulder, exposing her breast to my ravenous eyes. She was beautiful, as she always was. But this time, she was my wife.

"God, Bella, you are so perfect. I have to taste you, "I murmured to her before lathing her breast with my tongue. She let go of my hair long enough to pull her arm out of her strap before returning her grip to it. We worked together to get the other strap off as well, baring both breasts to my hungry mouth and hands. I continued to kiss and lick my way around both wondrous globes, using my hands to worship the other. Her groans were coming regularly now, and my pants were incredibly uncomfortable.

I felt her press me downward after a bit, telling me she was ready for more. Not needing more than one hint, I immediately began moving lower, pushing her beautiful gown out of the way until it was pooled around her hips, just hiding her woman's mound. I paused again, to make sure she was ready for this, to which she groaned out a "Please!" and lifted her hips. I couldn't deny either of us anymore, so I pulled her gown the rest of the way down her body before tossing it to the side. She was completely bare before me for the first time, and it took everything I had to not come in my pants at the sight. Her breath was coming in pants as she muttered, "You're wearing too much!"

I stood up off the bed, quickly stripping my pants and shorts off, my excitement negating any uncertainty I felt at being naked in front of her. I quickly climbed back next to her, pressing my full body against hers for the first time. Both of us groaned loudly at the contact, before we literally attacked each other's lips with passionate kisses. Her hands wandered all over my body, caressing muscles and ridges, before taking my hardness into her hand. I grunted loudly from the contact, unable to hold the reaction in. After a few moments of her stroking me, I had to pull her hand away. "Baby, I'm too close. Please, let me love you," I quietly begged.

With her nod, she grasped my free wrist in her hand, and guided it down to rest upon her womanhood. We again groaned together, loving how each other felt. I took the prior morning's activities as an example of how she likes to be caressed, and began lathing and nipping at her breasts again as I fondled and stroked her wet folds. I couldn't believe how wet she was for me. I couldn't wait to taste her, so I brought my hand up from her body and licked a finger clean. She moaned when she saw what I was doing, and grabbed my wrist, bringing it to her own mouth.

"Holy Fuck, Bella!" I groaned at her, feeling her tongue circle my finger and suck the juices off of it.

"Please, Baby. Don't make me wait anymore. I need you inside of me!" she begged me. I hesitated, concerned about hurting her if I tried to enter her too soon, but her hands were insistent as they pulled me over her. My hips settled between her thighs, perfectly aligned with her wet heat. I braced myself on my elbows on either side of her shoulders while I caressed her face and hair and kissed her lips. Finally, neither of us could wait any more. She pulled her legs up around my waist, using her heels to pull me to her. We were so perfectly aligned that I didn't need to adjust myself at her opening.

I began slowly, gently pushing in, groaning the entire time, hearing her moans in my ear. My dreams nor my fantasies could have prepared me for this. It was pure heaven, her wet heat slowly enveloping me. I would move forward a bit before pulling back, moving further forward the next time, before repeating the cycle. I was trembling from the strain of trying desperately to go slow for her. I reached her barrier, could feel it give some with each pulse against it. Bella gave no visible reaction, other than the moans of pleasure and murmured pleadings for more.

Without warning, her legs strongly clenched, pulling me all the way inside of her. I couldn't help my shout of surprise and pleasure as I struggled to maintain my control, trying to stay still inside of her until she was ready. I pried my eyes open to find her writhing below me, her face tensed, her mouth open. It took me only a moment to realize that her reaction was one of pure pleasure. I tentatively pulled back a bit before surging forward gently again. She gave her own shout of pleasure with that, and I knew that I was free to move how I wanted.

I pulled almost all the way out before slamming back into her, once again making sure that she wasn't experiencing any discomfort. Again, it was the exact opposite. She grabbed my hair in both hands again, pulling me down for several sloppy, wet kisses, the best we could do since both of us were panting for breath as I began moving in and out of her in earnest, the explosion within both of us building quickly. I couldn't seem to ease my pounding into her, but she met me for each thrust and clearly reveled in each stroke. She had been sex talking for several minutes now, her words getting more difficult to discern, though most of them sounded like "More", "Faster", "Harder", "Love", and "Fuck".

She yanked on my hair once more, bringing my focus back to her eyes from where I'd been entranced watching her breasts bounce to the rhythm of my thrusts. Her eyes were almost black and hooded with her passion. Her face was flushed and her mouth hung slightly open, fighting for air. She kept biting her lower lip, trying to stifle her sounds, but having to let go to breathe again. She looked deeply into my eyes and said, "Edward, I'm almost there. Please come with me!"

"Yes, Baby, come for me! I can't hold back much longer," I groaned back at her. Seemingly in response to my words, her body tightened down into itself as a flush spread its way across her breasts, both sure signs of her impending release. I tightened my grip on her shoulder and hip, not wanting her to accidently buck me off during her orgasm. I leaned down again, bringing her nipple back into my mouth, before gently biting down.

That triggered her climax, her legs and sex clamping down hard around me, her back arching, a primal cry being wrenched from her throat. Her climax triggered my own as I slammed into her a few more times, shouting my own pleasure to the world, my entire body trembling violently as my release spurted from me deep into her body.

Long moments later, I finally relaxed back down on top of her body, barely remembering to take most of my weight back onto my elbows. Both of our bodies shook occasionally from aftershocks of pleasure streaking through us as our breathing slowed. I reluctantly pulled myself from her, garnering a whimper from her and a shiver from me, before rolling over to my side of the bed, reaching out to grab her hand as we lay side by side recovering.

After a few moments, I knew I had to get up, or else I was going to go to sleep as we were. I rolled off the side of the bed, ignoring her whimper of protest, before stoking the fire and padding into the bathroom. I had more plans.

*****

BPOV

I could hear Edward turn on the water in the tub, though I could do nothing but lie there limply. I realized now that I had had no idea how wonderful making love with him could be, despite my fantasies. It was perfect; he was perfect. His every thought, every movement was about bringing me pleasure, making sure I felt good, much before any thought was given to his own pleasure. He'd clearly lost the last of his control during my own orgasm and was no longer able to hold back, no matter how badly he wanted to, and I had loved it. I don't know if he thought that he had to give me more than one orgasm, but I was completely sated.

After several long minutes, I heard Edward turn the water off in the bathroom. What was he doing in there? He emerged from the room, leaving the door open and the light off behind him, though I could see several lit candles within. He padded over to the bed, his gaze lingering lovingly over different parts of my body. I was too relaxed to get self-conscious at the moment, and simply returned his perusal with my own. He was beautiful. I couldn't believe that I got to touch this man every day. He soon reached my side and gathered my limp form in his arms, chuckling at my lack of strength.

He carried me into the bathroom before gently submerging me into a tub full of bubbles and warm water. "Is the water okay? Not too hot?" I shook my head "No" and he climbed into the tub behind me, wrapping his long legs on either side of mine, pulling my back against his chest. This, too, was heaven and I could only groan my approval. He pulled my hair up on top of my head, making a messy knot before tying it in place with a holder. The man thought of everything.

We relaxed there for several minutes, just absorbing the warmth and feel surrounding us. His hands unconsciously caressed whatever they happened to be near, and when he wrapped his arms around me, they found my breasts and I couldn't help the groan that escaped me. The unconscious caresses soon gave way to purposeful strokes, his lips nibbling along my neck and ears, whispering his love and lust for me. We were both a bit surprised to discover the effect that his naughty talk had on me, quickly pushing my excitement upward, tightening my breasts even more, making my hips wiggle against him, where I felt him stir against my back. Feeling him hard against me made me moan once more and unconsciously spread my legs, needing some type of contact.

Edward lifted my legs over each of his, effectively spreading me wide open but facing away from him. I was a bit confused until I felt his hands and fingers at my center. I was surrounded by him: my back was pressed against his chest, his arms wrapped around my body, his legs flanking mine. His fingers continued to explore my folds, finding my bundle of nerves quickly and working it while the other dipped lower to penetrate the opening below. My head dropped back against his shoulder and he was whispering directly into my ear, while my own cries rang throughout the room.

"That's it, sweet girl, feel my fingers inside of you, just like my cock was a minute ago. Can you feel me? Does it feel good? How about my other fingers working your sweet clit? Do you like that stroke? Do you like it gentle or rough? Do you feel my hard cock against your back, just begging to be let back into your beautiful body? Reach up and stroke those luscious tits for me, baby. Pull on your nipples, I know you love that…" he continued on. I answered with a nod when I could, though I could make no more than grunts and groans come out of my mouth. I could feel another orgasm coiled tightly within me, waiting to be released.

"Do you want to come, Sweet Girl? Do you want to come all over my hand?" Again, I could only nod frantically in my desperation. He added a third finger to those buried deep within me, pushing me right to the edge. I teetered on the edge for a moment before he suddenly pinched my clit gently between his fingers. My world exploded around me, a loud keening sound escaping from my mouth as my body convulsed and shuddered in his arms. His hands slowed their ministrations, allowing me to relax and come down from the peak they'd taken me to, before removing themselves to gentle me further.

I lay lax in his arms for several more minutes, regaining my breath and strength. I could still feel his hardness against my lower back, though I could tell he was trying not to press it into me. Knowing him, he probably thought that I was too tired and wouldn't want to take care of him again. Silly man.

When I could, I pulled myself forward out of his arms, getting enough room to turn around. I then settled back into his lap, straddling his hips, my arms wrapping around his shoulders. He watched me with curious eyes as I began kissing him again, beginning with his lips before traveling across his cheek to nibble on his ear and then down his neck. He allowed his head to relax to the side and back, giving me plenty of room to do what I wanted. I could feel his hardness nestled between my legs, pulsing in time with his heart and twitching on occasion when I hit a particularly good spot on his neck. This time, it was his moans that filled the room.

I raised myself further onto my knees before swiveling my hips and taking his hard cock into myself, surprising both of us at how neatly I'd done so. We both groaned as I lowered my body fully upon him, swallowing him whole. "God, Bella, you feel so damn good," he murmured, his eyes locked on mine, his hands moving to rest on my hips. I wiggled around a bit, finally getting him to scoot down in the tub enough to give my legs the proper leverage they needed. He groaned again as I began to raise and lower myself on him, keeping the pace slow and gentle, but with deep and strong thrusts. Apparently he'd been closer than I'd thought because it wasn't long before his hands were urging a faster pace.

Minutes later, the water was sloshing with our combined movements as I rode him hard and he thrust up into me from below. His hands were still gripped tightly onto my hips, so he'd braced his neck against the edge of the tub, locked in place by my hands that were clamped to the back of the tub, and was using his astounding abdominal muscles to power up into me. He was growling low in his chest almost constantly while I was moaning and mewling above him, already on the edge of another crest. With a loud roar, he surged up hard against me, lifting me off my knees, much like the first time we'd climaxed together, though this time he was buried deep within me. I continued to hold onto the side of the tub as I bucked and trembled through my own orgasm as he continued to thrash below me.

Eventually we both relaxed downward, only his tall frame keeping us from slipping under the water as I rested upon his chest, listening to his heart thunder. My hands had dropped down to wrap themselves around his waist, occasionally caressing the skin I found there, while my legs were still tucked up against his sides, his body still deeply buried within me.

A fine shiver ran through me as our bodies cooled down from their heated passion and I became aware that the water had gotten chilly. My shiver triggered his awareness of the situation. "Let's get you out of here, Sweet Girl, before you get too chilled." He moved me away from his lap, letting a small groan escape as his body left mine, before grabbing a washcloth placed next to the tub. Moving quickly, he used the rag to gently clean the sweat and other fluids from my body before rushing through the same action for himself. He stood up and stepped out of the tub, and I couldn't help the in-drawn breath at the sight of him naked and wet before me. Smirking at me, he quickly ran a towel over himself. He then grabbed a dry towel and held it open, using one hand to help me out of the gigantic tub that was still slippery with bubble bath. Once I was out of the tub (with only one slip and no injuries), he briskly dried my skin, being sure to get every drop of water off of me.

Once he was satisfied that I was sufficiently dry, he lifted me in his arms and grabbed my hairbrush on his way out of the bathroom. The fire had died down a bit, but was still emitting a welcoming warmth, which felt heavenly after getting chilled in the bath. He set me down on the soft rug in front of the fire and sat behind me with his back to a chair, again straddling my hips. He gently removed the band from my hair, letting it fall around me once again, gently untangling the few knots with his fingers. He then began to run the brush through my hair, and I thought I would die of the sweetness and pleasure he was bestowing on me. He was showing me, yet again, how much he loved me, this time without a hint of sexual passion. I began purring deep in my throat, audibly telling him of my contentment without saying a word.

Between my late night and the languid state of my fully sated body, I was nearing sleep fast. I lay against him, reveling in the feel of his naked body behind me. Even though I was completely limp against him, I could feel that his manhood had again stirred behind me. I managed to roll my head to the side so that I could see his face. "Again?" I asked, my voice husky from fatigue and the night's prior high volume declarations.

Edward gently snorted, shaking his head. "Sweet girl, I can't help my reaction to your naked body being pressed against mine. Maybe in thirty years I won't get hard when you're pressed against me, but certainly not tonight. I know you're exhausted, Baby. Let's go to bed." With that, he lifted me away from him to gather his legs beneath himself in preparation of standing up. I was now lying fully on the rug looking at him shifting above me, and I couldn't let the opportunity pass, no matter how tired I might be. I wanted to make love in front of the fire on our wedding night.

Just as he was beginning to rise to his knees, I reached out and grasped his neck, twining my fingers into the hair there. He immediately stopped his movement, waiting to see what I was doing. I slowly pulled him down to me, giving him time to adjust the rest of his body to support it properly, and hopefully align it along mine. He did exactly what I wanted, lying pressed against my side, his arms on either side of my chest as I pulled him down for a slow, sweet kiss. The kiss deepened and I could tell by his breathing that his excitement was rising again. I was surprised to feel my own body reawaken again, as well.

I ran my hand down from his neck, over his broad shoulders, and down to his chiseled chest. I rested my hand for a moment above his heart, feeling its strong beat, knowing that it beat for me. I brushed the tips of my fingers across a nipple, causing his body to flinch and his breath to hitch. I hadn't realized that his man's nipples might be as sensitive as my own. I brushed my fingers over it again, gaining another response, before taking it between my forefinger and thumb, giving it a gentle pinch. His body shuddered above me and a groan escaped from his mouth into my own. He shifted his weight slightly, freeing his hand to wander my body. At that point, our breathing had made it impossible to continue kissing, so he rested his forehead against mine, continuing to look deeply into my eyes. His hand caressed my body, and I mimicked each motion with my own hand on his body. When he stroked, I stroked and where he pinched, I did the same. He was teaching me exactly how he liked to be caressed.

Finally, we reached each other's centers. He moaned when he stroked my folds, finding them wet and slick once again. "God, Bella, you're so wet for me again."

"I know, Baby. Just as you're hard for me," I whispered back, taking his hard cock firmly in my hand. I began stroking him up and down, running my fingers gently over his head on each up-stroke, spreading the luscious juice he began weeping for me.

"I love you so much! I can never properly tell you exactly how much you mean to me. I just don't have the words," he groaned into my mouth, in between giving me several wet kisses.

"I know, Baby. I love you, too! I feel the same way; I just can't articulate how I feel. Show me, Edward, show me what you feel for me," I moaned back to him, one of my hands returning to his hair to keep his face where it was while my other hand pulled him above me once more.

He moved willingly, settling himself between my thighs. He pulled one of my legs up at the knee, opening my body up for him even more, the other leg quickly following the example. Still kissing me deeply and murmuring loving words between the kisses, he positioned himself at my entrance before gently pushing his way in.

***** EPOV

I couldn't believe Bella wanted to make love again. I knew she was exhausted. She was paler than normal and had dark circles beneath her eyes. Even so, she was absolutely stunning to me. Her body glowed in the firelight as I moved myself over her, finding my home again between her creamy thighs. I couldn't quit kissing her, telling her of my love for her. It felt like my heart had burst open and all the love I felt for her was pouring itself from my mouth right into hers to find its way to her own heart.

My hand gently stroked down her torso, past her hip, and down to her knee where I hooked my hand under it and pulled her leg up beside me, opening her sex to me more fully. Her other leg quickly copied its mate, leaving me pressed against her between her bent knees. I quickly positioned the head of my manhood at her entrance and gently pushed my way inside. I would be as gentle as I could, since I knew that she had to be sore by now, though she didn't seem to react as if she were, arching her hips up to me and moaning her sex talk interspersed with declarations of love into my mouth.

I quickly realized that my own fatigue was going to destroy my control and I would probably be erupting again soon. "Baby, I can't hold back much longer. Please, Bella, please come for me once more."

She moaned loudly once more before whispering against my lips, "Yes, Edward, I'm so close. Please don't stop, Baby. You feel so good. I love you so much. I didn't know making love with you would feel this good." She continued her whisperings against my lips as I continued talking to her, sharing the same feelings. Our eyes continued to be locked on each other, though it was beginning to be difficult not to close them in pleasure. I continued my gentle stroking within her, slowly speeding up and strengthening my thrusts. Moments later, as I felt the tightening in the pit of my stomach signaling the impending explosion, I began feeling the muscles surrounding me begin to tremble again. The trembles grew stronger, spreading from her core throughout her entire body. Bella locked her arms and legs around me as her sex locked down on my cock. I could barely move within her, but it didn't matter. Her body clamped down and sucked upon my cock, pulling my orgasm from me. We both shouted our pleasure into the room again, this time muffled with each other's mouth. I couldn't keep my eyes open during the crest of my orgasm, every muscle in my body clenching tight for several long moments before finally releasing in a flood of relaxation. I felt Bella's body unclench beneath me, her breath heaving in her chest, her legs and arms limply sliding off my body to thump to the floor gracelessly.

Once I was able to regain my breath and gather the last bit of energy I had, I pulled away from a nearly asleep Bella. She frowned gently at my removal, though she relaxed back to a serene look quickly. I went to the bathroom, cleaning myself up once more before rinsing the washcloth with hot water so that it would be comfortable for Bella. I returned to find her still sprawled across the floor, clearly asleep. I gently cleaned her up again, enjoying taking care of her in this most intimate way. When I was finished, I gathered her in my arms, and carried her back to the bed. Once I had her settled in, I climbed in behind her, wrapping my arms around her and burying my face into her hair, as I do every night. "I love you, Bella Cullen," I whispered into her hair, giving her one last kiss before dropping off to a deep, dreamless sleep.


	26. Chapter 26

A/N: Don't own Twilight.

So, who's heard of cow tipping? Hubby says I'm showing my redneck roots. YeeHaw!

Chapter 26 – BPOV

The honeymoon was wonderful. A week spent with my new husband and our best friends in sunny Cancun. We swam, snorkeled, played in the sand, went dancing in hot clubs, everything we could think of. By the end of the week, we'd all gained some color, though luckily none of us got painfully burnt. None of us was ready to go at the end of the week.

We flew to Dallas instead of coming straight home, and spent several days with Jasper's family, since we hadn't gotten to spend much time with them at the wedding. They absolutely loved Alice and welcomed all of us with open arms. It was fun to see Jasper's roots and we even went horseback riding and cow tipping one night. The guys thought that was hilarious, while we girls were more nervous about the bull roaming around the pasture. By the end of the visit, Jasper's drawl was so thick we could barely understand him, and even Alice was starting to pick up a twang.

We returned home deliriously happy and even more in love. Edward and I couldn't keep our hands off each other, and had been busted numerous times sneaking away from the group for some "personal" time. Of course, the others were caught just as often, so it was more of a joke than anything.

We returned to the guest house to discover that the living room was stuffed full of gifts, which boggled our minds since the guests hadn't known it was a wedding they were attending, either. Apparently, while we were gone, the gifts had come pouring in, often with notes expressing the giver's delight with the surprise and good wishes for each couple. The day after we returned, the families, including Beth, Aro, Esme, and Carlisle who had stayed in town on holiday, gathered together to welcome us back and watch the opening of the gifts. It had taken all five of us to keep Emmett from diving into the gifts, especially once Alice sorted them out into four piles: one for each couple indicated on the tag, and one for all of us if the tag didn't designate which set or if it listed all of us. Rose finally had to go whisper something suggestive in his ear, to which he promptly tossed her over his shoulder and bounded to their room, not to be seen again until the next morning.

The get-together the next day was fun and interesting. Edward got to spend time with his father, getting to know each other. It turns out that they shared many common interests and experiences. I had a feeling that they would get along quite well, as long as Aro treated Beth right. Their relationship appeared to be going quite well, as they acted much like we honeymooners did. I wouldn't be surprised if Beth was going to be changing her name again soon.

We finally couldn't take Emmett's hyperactivity anymore and sat down to open the gifts. Alice, Emmett, and I did the opening part, while Jasper, Rose, and Edward noted the gift details so that we could send out Thank You cards. By the time we were done, we had enough for three fully stocked kitchens, a plethora of towels, and lots of beautiful crystal picture frames and other knick-knacks. We knew most of it would go to good use, but considering I'd already bought just about everything we needed for the kitchen, we would have to return nearly a third of the stuff we'd received. Luckily, most of them came with receipts (and came from mostly the same place), so exchanging the items shouldn't be that difficult. Of course, our favorite gifts were our wedding and honeymoon from the families, along with all the work put into getting the house ready by Esme and Carlisle.

We would be moving to Seattle permanently at the end of the week, four days away. In the meantime, we had to finish getting everything packed up here (which constituted just Alice's room, considering Rose and I had already done ours) and get the gifts exchanged. The guys still didn't have a great many things, though Emmett had gotten his stuff from his parents when we'd gone down for Christmas and Jasper got his during our short layover on the way home from Cancun. Everything we couldn't bring back on the plane was shipped directly to the house, which was a good thing, since we ended up actually shipping most of the stuff we bought in Cancun there, too.

It took both cars packed to the gills to get all the exchange items back to the store, where we spent the first hour going over what was coming back with the manager, and the next three hours shopping for what we wanted instead. Luckily, the store had a wide array of merchandise, and we were able to buy the TV the guys wanted, along with a nice sound system, along with a billiard table for the game room. We also got several board games, since all of us enjoyed doing that. Yet again, since the majority of the items we chose were large, the store was willing to ship them to the house in Seattle, though for a price, which we were happy to pay. As it was, we were going to have to rent a truck to get all of our stuff there.

Moving day dawned clear and warm, which we were thankful for. We loaded up the rented truck which my dad and Sue were driving, along with our cars, the Hale's car, and the Brandon's car. The parents had all chosen to accompany us to help us unload and get settled in. This made a total of sixteen people working on this move, since Aro wasn't leaving Beth's side. Frankly, I think they really wanted to see what Esme had done, just as much as we did. She had had several of her assistants finishing off the house while she was in Aberdeen, so the items that arrived since the wedding would already be there and put away.

It was late afternoon by the time our caravan pulled up to the house. The outside looked absolutely beautiful, as Esme had had some landscaping done, and flowers bloomed from the beds edging the house and in planters scattered along the front patio. We all piled out of the vehicles, stretching quickly and waiting for all of us to congregate before we moved to the front door. Esme stepped to the door with the key, unlocking but not opening it yet. She produced five more keyrings with copies of the house keys already on them, with our names etched into the fobs. "I haven't had this much fun putting together a house in years. Thank you for letting me do this for you. I really hope you love it."

We each took our key and gave her a swift but hard hug and a thank you before stepping back to wait, each of us fidgeting in our anticipation of getting to finally see our new home. Finally, Emmett couldn't take it anymore. "Aargg, Esme, open the blooming door already!"

We all burst out laughing, Esme included, saying," I was just waiting for someone to say something…"

"Something!" we all chorused together, causing more laughter.

She then swept the door open with a flourish, giving us our first peek. We filed inside, oohing and aahing the entire way. The house was absolutely perfect. It suited us perfectly with rich, warm colors and a homey feel that just invited one to come in, kick your shoes off, and sit down. The parents, excluding the Hales, hadn't seen the house at all yet, so they were blown away by its size as well as its beautiful décor. The girls and I couldn't help the tears that escaped at seeing everything we'd dreamed of turn out so much better than we could have ever imagined. We each had to go back to Esme several times during the tour that followed, thanking her again and again for all the work she'd done for us.

Edward and I couldn't believe our bedroom. We had chosen muted jewel tones to go with the darker stain on the woodwork, much like the rest of the house, and everything came together so beautifully. Our bed set was iron work in a scrolled rose motif, all curves and swirls. Edward hadn't wanted any kind of straight edges or bars, a desire I understood completely without having to have it explained. The bed was piled with a thick comforter and fluffy pillows covered in soft Egyptian cotton. It looked incredibly comfortable and restful, and I couldn't wait to crawl into it come bedtime. Our bathroom carried the warm color scheme with wood flooring, a bead board surround, and brushed nickel fixtures.

Rose and Emmett's bedroom was done in black, white, and red, flamboyant and dramatic colors that matched their personalities perfectly. They'd chosen a huge wrought iron four poster bed with sheer white fabric draped around the canopy. Their bathroom echoed the color scheme, which I knew had required replacement of the bath tiles, but it looked beautiful.

Alice and Jasper's bedroom had a Tuscan flare, with another huge wrought iron bed set, but this time with softer lines and wood accents scattered throughout it. The black iron was carried through the room with various accents, including several wall sconces and candle sticks. They'd chosen a textured paint technique for their walls in a stone color, so their room looked like something you might find in Italy. Their bathroom carried the motif, with stone tile (another replacement) and antiqued fixtures.

I turned to Esme after checking out Alice's room and raised an eyebrow. She knew exactly what I was thinking.

"Yes, your and Edward's room was the easiest to put together. We just had to do some painting in there. Your taste is very classic and warm, which worked perfectly with what was already here. You should have seen the delivery guys trying to get all those king size beds up here, though! We almost had to replace the stair railing once."

"Sounds like Beth gave all of us the same advice," I responded, laughing when I heard Edward's sputtering behind me, and turned to see Beth nodding in agreement with my assumption.

With so many people available, it didn't take long for the guys to get everything into the house and the ladies to get it unpacked and placed away. Alice stood by the front door, giving directions to the guys on where to put whatever they were carrying, which helped things along tremendously. There was also a largish stack of items left on the dining room table that the assistants were unsure as to who they belonged to. We went through that pile pretty quickly as well, and had everything done just before eight in the evening. I was astounded that we'd gotten everything done, but with that many people, it went really fast. I knew that we would have some rearranging to do, but that could happen at a more relaxed pace. Luckily for all of us, Alice is super-organized, and insisted that everything be labeled by who owned what and what room it should go into.

We all congregated downstairs, taking a moment to rest after the long drive and then sustained activity. The Hales, Brandons, and Charlie and Sue were staying with the Cullens overnight before heading back to Aberdeen in the morning. They could have stayed with us, but we hadn't gotten all the furniture chosen for the guest rooms yet. We would get there in due time.

"We have reservations at a restaurant just down the street for nine tonight. With this many people, I didn't want to risk not making them, and I made it late since I had no idea how quickly we could get everything in and put away. This is the fastest move-in I've ever seen, and trust me, I've seen a lot!"

We all nodded our agreement in acknowledgement of the information and agreement with her assessment of the speed. "With sixteen people, it had to go fast. Even with a house as big as this, we were nearly running over each other." Carlisle commented. I had to look around the room a moment to really take in how many people were seated around our new living room. There were three people a piece on each couch, with the rest relaxing in chairs placed around the room, exactly as Alice had envisioned. It amazed me that we had this much room.

After a moment of relaxed silence, I pulled myself up from the couch and announced, "I'm going upstairs to get cleaned up and revel in my new room for a while. Call me when it's time to go, please." Several murmured agreements accompanied my words and Rose and Alice got up to do the same. We made our way upstairs slowly, tired from all the carrying, walking, and climbing we'd done. However, as soon as I walked into my room, I took a deep, relaxing breath and could feel all my fatigue drain away.

I turned on the radio but kept the volume low as I moved about the room, rearranging a few items, sometimes moving them back after considering them for a moment. It would probably take a few weeks before Edward and I had everything exactly where we wanted it. With that done, I changed my dirtied shirt, finding that Alice must have put my clothes in my closet since everything was organized by clothing type (shirt, pants, skirts, sweaters, dresses), then by color. Even my shoes were organized in the same fashion. It certainly made it easy to find what I wanted, though it was a little creepy, too. I could see that she'd done the same with Edward's clothes.

After I washed my face and hands, and brushed out my hair, I laid down on the bed, sinking into it with a blissful sigh. I had no intention of going to sleep; I was just enjoying the opportunity to rest and take in my new surroundings. I hadn't been there long when I heard the door open and close behind me.

*****

EPOV

I stayed downstairs with the family for several minutes, giving Bella time to do whatever she wanted to do to freshen up before I went upstairs. Conversation was relaxed and lively, unusual for such a large group, but we'd clearly become one large family as we'd worked together toward the common goal of getting the six of our lives put together. Even Aro seemed to have fit into the group with little problem. I had enjoyed getting to know my father the last few days, though it was still strange to think of him as such. Luckily for us both, he had chosen not to try to create a father/son relationship, but rather one of friendship and a bit of mentorship. We understood each other well, and were both happy with the current status. He had pulled me aside earlier tonight to speak with me about what our lives were like before and about how I felt about him re-entering her life. I was up front with him. I knew that my mother had told him about how life was like with Ed, though I could see from his reaction that she hadn't exactly been forthcoming about the extent of the physical abuse she'd suffered. I didn't mention the sexual abuse she'd alluded to. That was not my story to tell, and I wasn't positive about it in the first place. My mother was beyond ecstatic with having Aro back in her life, and I was glad to see her happy. I wasn't going to introduce something so evil into her relationship if she'd chosen not to.

He was appeased however, when I told him about our detour to confront him on our way back from Seattle the last time we were here. Ed had spent more than a month in the hospital and would be in physical therapy for years. His inability to work had cost him his job and the house. He was now living on government assistance, something that galled me, but I knew that, considering his pride, it galled him worse. The event had, of course, been reported to the police, but they weren't too interested in looking for the perpetrators. This information had been passed on from Charlie, who had heard it from one of his police officer friends who knew of the connection. Charlie never stated it aloud, but I'm pretty sure he knows it was us.

I quietly excused myself from the group and went upstairs. I opened the door to discover Bella sprawled across the bed on her back, clearly cleaned up, and appearing to be asleep. I quietly closed the door behind me, and went about getting cleaned up myself. With that done, I took a moment to look around our room, and noticed several things that she had moved around. I had to smile, because most of them were items I had mentally noted for rearrangement earlier in the evening. Finally, I couldn't stay away from her a moment longer.

I gently crawled up on the bed before laying my body next to hers, propping my head up with one hand. I brushed the hair from her face before lightly stroking her cheek with my fingertips. A small smile formed on her perfect lips, and I couldn't resist bending down and giving her a soft kiss. Just as I was about to pull away, I felt her hand thread its way into my hair, holding me against her luscious lips. I gently moved my body more over hers until one leg was wedged between her thighs and my chest was pressed against hers. We both moaned at the contact. I still couldn't get enough of her body, and I didn't think I ever would. She was a wonderful lover, sweet and loving at times, but also wild and adventurous others. She made my heart pound either way. She was everything I could have ever hoped for and more. We'd been married almost three weeks, and they were easily the best three weeks of my life.

Just as our kisses started to get heated, a knock sounded at the door. "Hey guys, it's time to get going," called Rose. I rested my forehead against hers for a moment, our eyes locked in silent communication. After a final soft kiss, I pulled myself and then her off of the bed. I adjusted my body and then my clothing, fighting to calm myself the entire time.

"I can't wait until we're alone later," she murmured.

"Me too. I can't wait to try out that new tub," I commented with a raised eyebrow, a silent invitation.

Bella released a soft moan before answering, "I love how you think. It's a date." We quickly rejoined the others downstairs.

"So, Eddie," Emmett began, "do you like your new bed?" I knew something was coming. When he calls me Eddie, he's either being sarcastic or ragging on me.

"Yes, it is extremely comfortable. I can't wait to crawl into it later."

"More like crawl into Bella," he teased with a wicked smile. The others laughed, though Bella, Esme and my mother were blushing. Luckily Evie and Kim were still in the other room getting cleaned up. I knew I could either react how he expected, thus egging him on, or I could try turning it back on him. I didn't want to incite Rose's ire, so I simply said, "That too," and walked off. This brought a louder round of laughter due to Emmett's impression of a fish with a gaping mouth, opening and closing.

We left for the restaurant and enjoyed a relaxed and jovial meal together. We had an unusual conversation, though, related to the choice to change both of our last names. It was Charlie who brought it up.

"Okay, Edward. I've been dying to ask, so here goes. Why did you change your last name to Cullen?" The entire table went silent. Clearly, most of the people there were wondering the same thing. In fact, I think only the six of us knew why we had chosen that option, and only because we had talked about it during the honeymoon.

"Well, when we were talking with the judge about getting the license without the girl's blood tests, he mentioned that changing their name would be part of the process of filing the marriage certificate, if they chose to change them. I asked if the option was open to both partners and he indicated yes. I thought about it for a few hours and decided to get Bella's take on it. I initiated one of our "rhetorical" conversations about getting married, and I mentioned that I didn't want to maintain the Masen last name anymore and that when we got married, we could choose whatever last name we wanted. We talked about me taking the Swan name, which was fine with me but she thought it felt weird. To her, either just she changed hers or we both changed. We touched on the topic of Mom changing her name to Cullen to be the same as Esme, and we both just stopped to stare at each other. When we both started to smile, I knew that we'd just agreed on what we wanted. From that point on, I called her Bella Cullen or Mrs. Cullen when the opportunity arose, while she did the same with mine. We only had a couple of days of doing that before the wedding, but the more it happened, the more I loved how it sounded." By the end of my explanation, Esme and my mother were crying and there was a glassy sheen to Carlisle's eyes.

"That means the world to us, Edward, Bella, more than you'll ever know," Esme choked out before coming around to give us both a big hug. I knew it would mean a lot to her since they were unable to have kids themselves. I never did ask why they chose not to adopt, as I didn't want to open old wounds. They would have made wonderful parents.

Bob piped up after that, obviously suddenly remembering something. "Oh, I have news about that guy that was bothering you girls. He's been sent to Leavenworth, or whatever that huge military prison is, for the rest of his life."

"What'd he do? It had to have been bad to get sent there, much less for life."

"Well, um, geez, now I don't know how much to say, what with having ladies present." Bob looked like he very much regretted bringing up the topic.

"Oh, come on, Bob," Kim said. "You know very well that our men will end up telling us anyway, so you may as well say it."

"Okay, but remember you said that. He was convicted of raping and murdering a young village girl. The story is that his CO had begun to suspect him of similar stuff and had started watching him closely. On their next excursion, he found Newton just as he was finishing raping the girl and then proceeded to kill her before the guy could get to him. He won't ever be coming home. His parents, of course, are claiming that he was set up, just as they squawked when Bella beat the crap out of him, but there were too many witnesses this time."

I could feel Bella shudder against me. I couldn't allow myself to think about how easily that could have been one of the girls. I was just glad he was locked up so he couldn't hurt anyone else.

We were all silent for a moment, trying to assimilate what we'd just been told. Finally, Esme said, "So, guys, when do you want to get together to do the guest rooms?" This restarted the conversation and allowed us to move on.

Soon, most of us were yawning, and we took our leave after hugs and kisses all around. The parents would be returning to Aberdeen in the morning, and we wouldn't be seeing them before they left. My mother was staying the night at Aro's, something I suspected would become permanent shortly. The six of us squeezed into my car and we headed back to the house. Not much was said as we all went our separate directions. We were all more than ready for our first night in our new home.

I had barely closed the door behind me before Bella was pressed against me, hungrily kissing me with everything she had. I fumbled for a moment before successfully getting the door locked, and then began backing her across the room to stop at the edge of the bed. We began pulling the clothes off each other, hands becoming more demanding as our kisses got hungrier. I pulled away long enough to ask, "Bed, shower, or tub?" We had discovered shower sex while in Cancun, and both enjoyed it immensely, though our sizes necessitated my supporting her entire weight. Doing so was no longer an issue, since I'd finally completely healed, but I was tired tonight and though I wanted it as an option, I was unsure how long I would be able to maintain the support. We hadn't engaged in tub sex again since the first time had bruised Bella's knees pretty badly (imagine trying to explain deep bruises on the outside of each knee). Our new tub was wider than the first one, but I was still cautious about bruising her again.

Still kissing me hungrily as she pushed my jeans and shorts down my legs, she mumbled,"Tub" at me. I began backing her into the bathroom before pulling away long enough to turn on the water and begin filling the tub. She stepped away to pull her hair up on top of her head and secure it with a band. "Bubbles?" I asked from behind her. At her nod, I added a capful of her favorite bubble bath, shuddering slightly in excitement. I loved Bella wet and slick.

When she was done with her hair, she lit several candles that had been placed throughout the room while I got a couple of towels from the linen closet. I turned off the main light and turned to find her waiting silently behind me, her beautiful body glowing in the candlelight. Thankfully, the tub was done filling by then so I turned off the tap and helped her step into the tub, before settling myself behind her. I would never get tired of feeling her naked body pressed against mine, either side.

We relaxed for several minutes, enjoying the heat on our sore muscles and the peacefulness we always found in each other's company. I could feel her body relax by degrees against me, releasing the tension accumulated from several days of intense work and stress. With just about everything done, we could finally relax and enjoy just being married for a few weeks before we started our first classes.

She startled me slightly when she spoke. "Hey, Baby? What day is it?" It took me a minute to think. We'd been so busy that I'd completely lost track.

"The 21st? Is that right? Why?"

"I was afraid of that. I'm so sorry, Baby." Now I was dumbfounded. What did she have to be sorry for?

"What's wrong, Sweet Girl? You don't have anything to be sorry for," I responded, wrapping my arms around her and pulling her back tightly to my chest.

"Don't tell me you forgot, too!"

"Must have since I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Your birthday was yesterday, Baby. With everything going on, I totally forgot about it. I'm so sorry! I didn't even get you a gift," she whispered, with tears in her voice. I couldn't even move for a moment, and then suddenly I was laughing loudly. She sniffed before snapping at me, "Don't laugh at me! I can't believe I missed your first birthday together!"

I did my best to reign in my laughter, pulling her back into me when she tried to pull away. "Oh, Sweetheart! I'm not laughing at you! I'm laughing at all of us, especially myself and my mother. We've all been so covered up with getting everything done that we all forgot it, including the woman who gave birth to me. Please don't be mad at me, Baby, or at yourself. It's not a big deal to me, anyway. Tomorrow is the anniversary of the day I met you, and I would rather celebrate that than my birthday any day."

She was quiet a moment before asking in a small voice, "Are you sure?"

"Yes, Sweet Girl. I'm not disappointed or mad or anything at all. Just amused. I bet my mother comes screaming over here either tomorrow or the next day, horrified that she missed it too." Bella thought about it for a moment, before she, too started giggling. The movement of her body as she laughed was jarring to my body, quickly turning my attention from my missed birthday to the woman sitting between my legs. "Bella," I growled into her ear as I pulled her tightly against my straining erection. Her gasp and moan told me her own attention was now diverted to the same direction as mine.

We began kissing again, a bit awkwardly due to our positions, but I loved having my hands free to roam her body. The bubble bath, which had mostly dissipated, left her skin very slick, allowing me to run my hands across her body with more firmness than usual. Her moans told me she loved every bit of it.

It had been several days since we'd had the opportunity to make love since we'd both been exhausted each evening when we collapsed into bed. Consequently, my hunger for her went from a slow simmer to a rolling boil in moments, leaving me ready to be inside her with very little foreplay. Fortunately for me, apparently Bella felt the same way. She wiggled around until her knees were bent below her (there was plenty of room this time), though she still faced away from me. She clearly had some sort of plan, as she started tugging on my thighs to get me to scoot down more, until my hips were almost horizontal and my head leaning against the top lip of the tub.

I felt her take my aching cock into her hands, and I groaned my approval loudly. She gave it a few swift strokes before sitting up on her knees. Before I could even guess her intentions, she sat herself swiftly down, taking me in completely, just like she had on our wedding night. The breath left my lungs in a great whoosh, the pleasure making me dizzy. She had ridden me several times since our wedding night, but this is the first time she'd gotten on facing away from me. The difference in the feeling was astounding. I braced my feet against the bottom corners of the tub and my shoulders against the back of it, giving us the stability needed to really allow us to move. I gripped her hips with my hands, prepared to start helping when she was ready.

Bella stopped and groaned deeply as she impaled herself on me. I could feel her adjust her body, getting into a better position to move comfortably. When she felt my hands clasp her hips, she knew I was ready for her to move, which she began to do immediately. She began long, slow, deep strokes, clearly relishing each movement. I was immediately overwhelmed and I managed to moan out between pants,"Bella! Baby, I'm not going to last long… aargh!... been too long… oh God…please come with me."

"Oh, Baby, yes! I'm close, too… oohhh…" she continued moaning. She'd been leaning back with her hands supporting her weight on my forearms, but she now shifted her weight forward, bracing herself on my knees. The change in angle was electrifying, and I couldn't help gripping her hips even more tightly, lifting her up before slamming back down onto my up-thrusting cock. A deep, grating growl began in my chest as my body tightened in preparation for its release. Luckily, Bella was similarly affected, and began trembling in my hands as soon as I began to lose my control. My back arched backward, causing me to slam so hard into her that had I been capable of thought, I would have been anxious about possibly hurting her. I could vaguely hear her own howls of rapture and felt the spasms racking her body above me, her sex clamped deliciously upon my throbbing, spurting cock.

She fell back against me when her body released the last of its tension, gasping for breath. My own breathing was difficult to get under control for several minutes, my body limp in the water. The most movement I could summon for several minutes was to gently kiss the side of her head. When I was finally able to move my arms, I placed my hands on her hips, gently rubbing the spots where I had gripped her, likely bruising her once again. I hated that I bruised her in my passion, but she actually found it rather provocative. Luckily she healed quickly.

We gathered enough energy to pull ourselves from the quickly cooling bath, briskly toweling ourselves dry to heat our chilled skin. Once dry enough, I grabbed Bella's brush and we scampered to the bed, diving under the covers. I sat up against the headboard, adjusting the pillows behind me to get comfortable. I pulled Bella between my legs and began brushing out her luxurious hair. This had become a ritual for us, giving us a quiet loving end to the day, where we could talk if we wanted, but be quiet if we didn't. Tonight, we chose to be quiet and just absorb each other's presence. When her hair was fully brushed and shining, I placed the brush aside and we slid down further into the covers, my body spooning hers, my arms wrapped around her and our legs intertwined. We always went to sleep like this. Even when we moved around during the night, we would always keep at least one point of our bodies touching, maintaining that contact throughout the night.


	27. Chapter 27

A/N: Ahhh, Honeymoon Sex. What was your favorite part?

Chapter 27 - BPOV

I slowly awoke the next morning, becoming aware of Edward's heavy arm draped around my waist and his leg thrown over mine. It was a common position for me to awaken to. The only problem with it was that it was really difficult to get out from under him without waking him when nature called, as it was this morning. I managed to wriggle out from under him without waking him, earning just a snort and a smile before he flopped over onto his back and began snoring again. I went to take care of my business and returned to our warm bed. I lay there on my side for several minutes, just looking at my handsome husband. I still couldn't believe that he was mine.

The flash of his ring caught my eye, and I had to smile. I'd caught him playing with it several times, just grinning at it goofily. I knew exactly what he was thinking because I'd caught myself doing the same. The guys had been worried that we wouldn't like our rings, and offered to take them back to exchange them. Rose and I just snorted at them, while Alice laughed. We all loved our rings, and there was no way we were letting them exchange them for something else. I think Edward could have gotten away with getting a ring from a dime store for me I loved what it meant so much, but he had exquisite taste, as usual, and I adored my set.

Tearing my eyes away from my husband for a moment, I looked around our room, still dazed that this beautiful room was actually ours to live and love in. Especially this big bed. This train of thought made me realize that we had yet to "initiate" this bed, and then that was all I could think about. I thought for several minutes, trying to decide what I would like to do to my husband. Finally, it occurred to me that we hadn't fulfilled two of the three parts of my football game fantasy yet. While I had pleasured him with my mouth several times, we hadn't yet explored having his mouth on me. Nor had we tried the "doggie" position; the previous night in the tub was the closest we'd come. I decided it was high time we did a bit of exploring.

I squirmed my way under the covers and over to his legs, discovering that his cock was already hard, as it was every morning. Apparently it was a guy thing, from what Edward was able to stutter out when I asked. Poor guy was so red. Shaking the amusing thoughts from my mind, I decided to focus on the task at hand, literally. Now thoroughly comfortable with handling his body, I took his hard cock into my hand and began stroking, using the pressure and speed I knew he liked, swiping my finger over the top of his head at the apex of every stroke. I could feel the tension in his body change as he awoke, and knew he was at least cognizant when he thrust his hands into my hair and moaned, "Oh God, Baby, what are you doing?"

By way of answer, I leaned forward onto my knees, reaching around to slip my left hand under his gorgeous ass and slipping the head of his dick into my mouth at the same time. His loud groan told me he loved what I was doing. I began my strokes, keeping them smooth and even, steadily building the strength and speed. I knew now this coiled the pleasure within him the fastest and hardest.

Edward pushed the edge of the covers away from my head, giving me fresh air and him the opportunity to watch me sucking his cock. He is very visual, and loves to watch what is happening to his body. He especially loves it when I look into his eyes while I'm doing this. I looked up at him through my lashes, maintaining my rhythm. Already, his face was tense with his pleasure. Having just awoken, his control would be at its least, so I knew that he was likely to come very quickly. The air was filled with his grunts and groans peppered with expletives and oaths and declarations of love. We loved each other's sex talk as we had discovered one evening, and had agreed to continue talking openly as much as we could while making love.

His hands tightened in my hair again and his hips began thrusting up into my mouth, a movement I knew that preceded his explosions. I slipped my right hand around his hip and clasped his ass cheek, matching my left. His thrusting became erratic and I knew it was time to push him over. On the next up stroke, I dragged my lower teeth along the bottom of his cock, from base to tip, while clenching down with my nails into his scrumptious ass. As I predicted, his body heaved in reaction to the explosion within him, arching sharply off the bed. I held on tightly as I took him as deeply into my throat as I could, feeling the hot jets of his release blasting deep into me. I swallowed continuously, taking him even further. His roar that echoed about the room when his orgasm hit him was incredibly loud, and I knew he'd be slightly hoarse later. However, once the first roar died out, I happened to swallow convulsively around him again, and triggered a second, even louder primal yell, accompanied by almost violent convulsions of his body. I had just pulled a second orgasm from him. He had ripped his hands from my hair when his first orgasm had hit and was now gripping the headboard above him with such a strong grip that the iron groaned from the strain.

When a fine tremor began rocking his body again, I knew it was time to back off. Both of us had discovered that the sensations can become so intense as to be painful if we push an orgasm too long. I released the hold I had on his ass and gentled my motions on his dick, easing his body back down from the summit of his climax. After a few moments, he had fully relaxed back down to the bed and lay there limply, breath heaving in and out of his body, unable to move. I made sure he was thorough cleaned up (his entire body twitching with every touch), and then climbed up to snuggle into his side, content to allow him time to regain his composure.

After a few moments, I turned over onto my back, spreading my legs wide. I was hoping this would prompt him to recall the fantasy and know what I wanted next. I began playing with my pussy with both hands, discovering that I was dripping with my arousal. I hadn't had much opportunity, nor the need to pleasure myself recently, so I was a bit out of practice, but soon remembered exactly what I liked to do. My breathing began to speed up and I began to moan quietly. I felt Edward shift next to me, rolling onto his side to see what I was doing. I heard a gasp and a moan before he murmured,"Oh Sweet Girl, what are you doing? You are so amazing. You're going to have to do this for me sometime, but today I have to have you on my tongue."

My breath stuttered in my chest when I heard his words. I looked into his eyes as he moved down my body, seeing the passion there. He dropped me a wink and smiled, telling me that he had, indeed, picked up my prompt. His gaze roamed down my body as he positioned himself between my legs, his wide shoulders wedging my thighs as wide as they could go. I pulled my hands from my body, letting him view me fully. He grabbed the wrist of the hand that had been buried within me, and proceeded to suck off the juices coating my fingers. I couldn't help the shudder of pleasure that ripped through me at the sensation.

"Mmmm, you are so delicious. I have been waiting for this for so long." He scooted back a bit more, aligning his face perfectly with my feminine center. "You are so beautiful, Bella. Every inch of you is beautiful," he sighed into me, before gently running his tongue from my entrance all the way up to my bundle of nerves. The pleasure exploded through me, dragging out a cry of exultation and causing me to arch my hips up toward his face. He took the opportunity to slip his hands under my ass and clasping my hips to hold me in place. He then proceeded to devour me.

I had never felt anything so wondrous. Edward alternated between gentle licks and touches, and rough nipping and sucking, eventually using his teeth on my less sensitive areas. The pleasure was enormous, challenged only by that found when he was buried inside of me. Edward's sounds of pleasure spurred me onward, telling me that he was enjoying this just as much as I was. I could feel my thighs begin to tremble and my head thrash from side to side as my body drew in on itself, gathering every ounce of energy in preparation for the coming explosion.

***** EPOV

I couldn't get enough of her sweet body. I felt like I could spend forever between her creamy thighs. I had never tasted anything that compared to how delicious Bella's nectar was. I could happily live on that alone for the rest of my life. I greedily licked up every drop she released, nibbling along her outer folds, gently sucking her inner folds and her clit in between my lips. Her clit was swollen, the most I'd ever seen it, indicating clearly how aroused she was. I knew she would erupt soon, and I was going to enjoy the ride.

I felt her thighs begin to quiver around my shoulders and I managed to tear my eyes off of her womanhood to look up toward her face. The telltale flush was spread across her chest and her head was thrown back so far that I could barely see it. I could only tell that her eyes were tightly clenched and her mouth was partially open. She was right on the edge.

I released her hip with my right hand, pulling it back between her legs, and gently inserted two fingers into her pussy, thrusting steadily. She cried out her pleasure as this pushed her to a new level instead of into her orgasm. I had purposefully backed off my licking at the same time to see if she could do it, and was gratified to see it happen. I wanted to give her the kind of pleasure she'd just given me.

Her pleasure cries had been continuous for several moments, but when she started begging me to let her come, I knew I couldn't push her any further. Her breathing was so fast and hard that I feared she'd pass out if I continued to push. I slipped a third finger into her, stretching her more like my own cock would stretch her and continued my thrusting, though harder than before. At the same time, I returned my mouth to her body, nipping at her nether lips before finally sucking her clit into my mouth and gently biting down with my teeth. She absolutely detonated beneath me.

Her body convulsed as her howls echoed around the room. She clutched to the headboard as I had, anchoring her to the bed while I fought to anchor her lower body as I continued my movements upon her. She flooded me with her juices as she clenched so tightly around my fingers that I couldn't pull them from her without causing her damage. I gathered every drop I could, still greedy. When her sounds turned from screams to keening, I backed off, gentling her with my lips. Her body finally unclenched enough for me to slide my hand from her, which I promptly licked clean.

At this point, I had become an animal, growls escaping my chest and desperately needing to feel her pussy wrapped around me. She was still slowing her breathing and limp before me, but I couldn't wait anymore. My cock had never fully deflated after her amazing blow job, and I was in pain. I grabbed a leg and unceremoniously flipped her limp body over. I pulled her hips up, so that she was on her knees, and grabbed a couple of pillows, stuffing them under her so that they would keep her in position without her having to try.

In the back of my mind, the gentleman in me was berating me for my treatment of her, but his objections were faint at best. I had been in this state just once before, toward the end of our honeymoon. I just took her because I simply couldn't wait. I'd been rough and demanding, pounding into her small body as fast and as hard as I could. After I'd exploded within her and we'd both caught our breath, I was mortified with myself. I couldn't believe I had just treated her like a common piece of ass. I kept going on and on until she smacked me across my head, the first time she'd ever done so, though certainly not the last. That shut me up long enough for her to explain to me that she'd loved what I'd done, and reminded me that she'd had an explosive orgasm as well. She told me to quit holding back with her, though how she knew I had been I'll never know. After mulling it over for a while, I decided to take what she said on faith, and allow myself the release I needed when in that state, though I knew that I would revisit the subject with her later on to be assured that she still felt the same.

I moved up behind her, spreading her knees with my own, opening her sex before me. I grabbed my throbbing hard cock, running its head along her slit, covering it in her still-dripping juices, before sliding into her. As always, my eyes rolled back into my head and I groaned loudly. I dimly heard her moan below me, as well, giving me the reassurance I needed to truly let go. Trembling as I fought for control, I managed to stroke into her gently several times, making sure that she wasn't experiencing anything uncomfortable in this new position.

"Are you okay?" I growled at her. I needed to hear her reassurance, as I feared this would be even more violent than the first time.

"God, yes, Edward. Just fuck me!" she groaned back at me. Her words were my undoing. I shuddered violently before adjusting my stance for the most stability. Gripping her hips tightly, no doubt bruising them even more, I began slamming my body into hers. With each thrust forward, I pulled her body back toward mine, causing us to crash violently into each other, wrenching a cry from us each time. I had never felt anything so good in my life. I could feel my balls slapping against her pussy, getting wetter with each bounce, while her juices began seeping down my thighs. I couldn't look away from the sight of her kneeling below me, her body swallowing mine with each stroke. The sounds of our bodies slapping wetly together blended with our breathing and cries of pleasure, making a music more beautiful than any I'd ever heard. All I could feel and smell were her and us together. My senses were drowning in her.

Every cell in my body was completely tuned to her and to what was happening between us. I felt her shudders begin and knew she would come soon. She'd grasped the headboard once more (a great choice we'd made there) and was using her arms to push back against me in time with my thrusts. She was enjoying this as much as I was. That realization whipped through me, and shattered the last bit of control I had. I didn't have time to gather myself before the summit as I usually do; I simply erupted. My body continued its thrusting, though the rhythm was no longer steady. It didn't matter; I was completely engulfed in a pleasure that could only be described as transcendental. I felt as though my soul had left my body, and I felt Bella there with me. I vaguely heard her wails of pleasure and felt her body convulsing around and below me, assuring me that her rise to pleasure had not been interrupted by my own. Even in this state, she was my priority. She would always be my priority.

I have no idea how long we were frozen in that moment. I could only be sure that it was long enough to have completely lost my breath, and I didn't start breathing again until after it had let me go. At that point, I became completely limp; I had absolutely no control over my body. I could only watch as my body pulled from Bella, causing us both to shudder, before collapsing forward onto her back. Luckily, we'd both worked up quite a bit of a sweat, so I slid off of her to the right, eventually landing on the bed beside her, completely limp. I watched as her body heaved for breath, the only movement she made. She was clearly as immobilized as I was. I was glad that her head had been turned toward me so that I could see her face.

Eventually her eyes opened, and she smiled dazedly at me. Her breathing had returned to normal, as had mine. I was able to gather just enough energy to pull her body off of the pillows and tuck it against mine before pulling the covers up around us. I considered getting up for a warm washcloth, but I simply didn't have the energy to get up. We would both need a shower when we woke up again, anyway. My arms tightened around her for a moment, a half-hearted hug at best, but all I could do at the moment. "I love you, Bella." I whispered to her, placing a soft kiss to the back of her head. I abruptly realized that we hadn't kissed at all during our entire time lovemaking this morning. I would have to remedy that when we got back up.

"I love you, Edward. Happy anniversary…" she trailed off sleepily. She body settled into mine once more, telling me that she was already deeply asleep. I could only smile as I thought to myself, "If this is how we celebrate the anniversary of our meeting, I wonder what we'll do for our wedding anniversary?" That was the last coherent thought I had before slipping into a deep, dreamless sleep.


	28. Chapter 28

A/N: Awwww, it's done. Complete. Finito. Hope everyone enjoyed it, and will drop me a line. I'm toying with an idea for a one-shot, but it might be a little too kinky for here.

Chapter 28 – Epilogue – BPOV

5 Years Later

I thumbed through a magazine I'd found on the coffee table, not really seeing the images before me. I was incredibly nervous. I had gnawed on my lip enough to draw blood and my leg wouldn't stop bouncing. I heard the outer door open with a jingle and I glanced up briefly before returning back to the page in front of me. It took a moment to register who I'd seen and I whipped my head up to look a startled Alice in the face. We had to have had identical expressions: Caught!

She went to inform the receptionist that she had arrived and cautiously came to sit down next to me. I put the magazine back onto the table and we just sat there for a moment, waiting for the other one to speak first. Finally, I couldn't wait any more. "Alice, why are you here? I don't remember you mentioning that you were going to see Carlisle."

"I could ask the same of you. I didn't see the car in the parking lot, how did you get here?"

"The bus. I got Mrs. Stevens to cover my last class today." I was working part-time at the area Elementary school. We had all graduated the year before, but only Alice and I had joined the work pool. Alice was working with Esme now, decorating to her heart's contentment. The others were continuing their education. The Hale's had gifted us the house, in equal thirds, for graduation, much to our shock. The guys wanted to object at first, but finally agreed to accept the most generous gift graciously. Even with the guy's pensions and Alice and I working, we couldn't afford as nice a place if we'd tried to buy a home of our own. It also gave the others the leeway to focus on their education and not on financial matters.

Rose was going for a master's degree in Mechanical Engineering. She already has a job with General Motors designing sports cars in her spare time. She told them up-front that she wasn't moving away from Seattle, and they wanted her so badly that they agreed to let her work from home with only occasional travel to the home office. Emmett has two more years to get his physical therapy certification. He's decided to focus on helping veterans with physical disabilities regain their independence. Jasper is planning on getting his doctorate in psychology. His focus, like Emmett and Edward's, is on helping returning soldiers deal with their experiences. He's started several group therapy programs and has already gained recognition throughout the nation as an expert on helping traumatized people regain control of their lives. Edward has decided to follow in Carlisle's footsteps and is becoming a doctor. He actually began medical school in the Spring of our senior year and then went through the summer, so he's actually in his second year of medical school. He'll finish with his coursework in another ten months and will then start his internship. Carlisle is, of course, helping to pave his way through school, and we think intends to offer Edward a position in his private practice, which we are ecstatic about. Edward wants to also work with veterans suffering from illnesses attributable to the time spent serving their country. He has gained a great deal of respect in the medical and military community, despite, or perhaps because of, his vocal assertions that the American government take responsibility for and admit that the use of Agent Orange has damaged thousands of our own troops.

I returned my attention to Alice. "How did you get here? Aren't you supposed to be working on the Hinman house today?"

"Yeah, I got finished with them early, so I called to see if they could work me in. I took a cab. Are you here for a regular check-up or something? You're not sick, are you? I don't see any wounds…"

"No, not sick, not injured for once. Um, well, I didn't want to talk about it until I was sure but…"

"Let me guess. You never started your last period." Taking my stunned face as agreement, she continued. "I'm in the same boat. We've been on the same schedule for years, so it doesn't surprise me that we're both screwed up. I wonder if Rose's is…" she trailed off as the door opened again, and Rose walked in.

Rose skidded to a stop when she saw us. She blinked in shock for several seconds before shaking her head and beginning to laugh. She informed the receptionist that she had arrived and came to sit next to us. "Let me guess. No period." Alice and I both nodded. "What are the fucking odds of all three of us getting pregnant while still on birth control?"

I was still trying to wrap my head around the possibility when the nurse opened the inner door and called my name. I stood up and motioned for Alice and Rose to come with me. At the nurse's confused expression, I told her, "Mrs. Whitlock and Mrs. McCarty will be joining me as well, so you might want to grab their charts." She nodded, still obviously confused, and grabbed their charts. She led us to an examining room, and told us that Dr. Cullen would be joining us shortly.

We sat there quietly, not knowing what to say. Carlisle bustled into the room after a short knock but skidded to a stop when he saw all three of us sitting there, with anxious looks. Like Rose did earlier, he blinked a couple of times, before closing the door behind him and sitting on his stool. "Good afternoon, ladies. I can guess what would bring all three of you in at the same time with anxious faces. Do you all take " and he rattled off the name of our birth control pills, something I still couldn't say even after years of taking the medication. At our nods, he rubbed his hands over his face in a frustrated gesture. "I'll tell you something I won't other patients. I've been hearing through the grapevine that they had a bad batch go through. Apparently all of the pills for the month were placebos, or placeholder doses, rather than actual effective pills. Of course, the company will never admit this openly, since it would open them to all kinds of trouble, but we've had women coming in all week who use it and are now pregnant. Am I right in my assessment?" Again, all we could do was nod. "Okay, I'll need a urine sample from each of you. Please be sure to label the cup clearly. We're swimming in urine back in the lab. I'll move yours to the front of the line and will call you myself to let you know what the results are. Is there anything else you needed to talk with me about?" We all shook our heads. "I don't think I've ever seen you three so quiet in my life. Are you okay?"

Rose was finally able to squeak out a response, "Shock. All three of us, pregnant, at the same time? I can't even imagine. The guys run when it's PMS time."

Carlisle laughed, shaking his head. "Well, no matter what, you know that we'll all be there to help. I know Esme and Beth have just been itching to start hinting about babies. They have been for several years now, but did want to pressure you before you were ready." He stood up, giving us each a hug and kiss to the forehead. "I'll call you as soon as we have the results. In the meantime, stop taking your pills if you restarted, and use a different method of control until we know for sure. If your tests come back negative, I'd like you to consider changing to a different brand. I really don't like how the company is handling this situation."

We all agreed with his assertion and followed him as he pointed the way to the bathroom. The supplies we needed were already in the room and we took care of business quickly. When we'd all finished, we filed out of the office, stopping to give Carlisle a final kiss on the cheek before leaving. Being the last in line, I noticed that the nurses were staring at Carlisle with a shocked look. I decided to try to get him off the hook, so I said, "Tell Aunt Esme hi for us, okay, Uncle Carlisle?" Carlisle flashed me a grateful look and nodded his agreement.

The rest of the day passed excruciatingly slowly. We were all done for the day and wanted to stay around the house in case Carlisle should call, so we hung out chatting about nothing important. We had agreed to not tell the guys until we knew for sure. They gave us an odd look when they came back from class, but didn't say anything about it.

The next day was a regular off day for me, so I stuck around the house all day. When the phone finally rang around two, it startled me almost right out of my skin. Luckily, no one else was home to see my reaction.

"Hello?"

"Good afternoon, Bella. It's Carlisle."

"Hi, Carlisle. How are you today?"

Carlisle chuckled for a moment, "Bella, I know damn well you're dying to know the results. Sometimes you're so polite you tickle me."

"I know. Blame my dad. So…" I let the word draw out, asking without voicing the question.

"They're all positive. Congratulations, ladies, you're all pregnant." There was a long moment of absolute silence as Carlisle let me digest the news.

"Holy shit!" This caused a full laugh to issue from him.

"Yes, indeed. I'd have to guess you're all due about the same time, too, early October. You'll need to come in for a prenatal visit so we can discuss diet and vitamins and all that. Bring the guys if you can get them to come. It's important to get them involved early to give them time to adjust."

"Them time to adjust? How about us!?"

Another laugh. "You'll do just fine, Bella. All of you are wonderful women, and I have no doubt that you'll make wonderful mothers. For that matter, the guys will make great dads. It may be tough with them still in school, but I have no doubt that it will all work out."

"Thank you, Carlisle. You always know exactly what to say. You'll make a great Grandpa. Um.." I hesistated a moment, "can you not tell…"

"Of course not, Bella. This is your news, and I will keep it to myself until you are ready to share. Just take care of yourself and call me if you have any questions, okay?"

"I will, Carlisle. Thanks again."

"My pleasure, dear. Enjoy your evening. You'll have to tell me later how you broke it to the guys."

"Oh, we came up with a plan yesterday. Which reminds me, I need to get to work on it if I'm going to get it done before they get home. Bye, Carlisle."

"Goodbye, Sweetheart," he replied before hanging up.

I stood there staring at the phone for a moment before shaking myself from my reverie. I called Alice at the house she was currently working on, simply telling her "Yes" when she answered. I had to hold the phone away from my ear at her incredibly loud squeal.

I could hear Esme in the background asking if she was okay, which calmed Alice down immediately. We didn't want anyone else to know besides the guys just yet. We wanted to get used to the idea together before sharing with the world.

"I'm fine, Esme. I just got excited about dinner tonight. Bella's cooking steak. Which reminds me, I need to go pick it up, is it okay if I go for the day?"

"Of course, dear," I could hear Esme answer in the background. Her voice indicated that she wasn't exactly buying the explanation for Alice's excitement, but she wasn't going to push.

Alice hurriedly said, "Bye!" and hung up. Just as I was replacing the phone on the hook, I heard the front door close. I came out of the kitchen to see that it was Rose. The guys would probably be home in about an hour and a half. She saw me looking at her and just raised her eyebrows, to which I simply nodded.

"Holy shit!" she muttered, plopping into a chair. I merely nodded again, and returned to the kitchen, knowing that when she was ready to talk, she would come to me. I had a cake to bake.

An hour later, all three of us were in the kitchen. I was working on the dinner, which consisted of steak, potatoes, and baby carrots. Alice and Rose were frosting the cake as fast as possible, though they were having trouble with it because it was still too warm. Unfortunately, we were running out of time. We had to get the cake iced and decorated and covered before the guys got home. We didn't want them to see what was on it before we were ready.

Luckily, we were all done by the time the guys came home thirty minutes later. They were more than a little surprised that dinner was ready so early and even more surprised when they saw what it was.

"Bella, I don't remember getting steaks at the store this week," Edward mumbled to me, clearly confused.

"I know. I had Alice pick them up on the way home. I wanted tonight to be special."

"Oh, okay. What's the occasion? We didn't miss a birthday or something, did we?" Obviously, anniversaries weren't a problem, since we all had it together. Birthdays, however, were another issue altogether. Emmett was stuck on the couch in their study for a full week when he forgot Rose's, even after I'd reminded him repeatedly. I bet he'll never forget it again.

"Oh no, nothing bad. We're going to have to do some redecorating soon, and probably move some rooms around, too. We'll have to pull out the plans after dinner and do some planning."

Edward was now even more confused. That was okay, though, because that was exactly what I wanted. "Okay, I think. Wh…"

I cut him off as quickly as I could to keep him from asking the question. I couldn't lie to him, and he would keep asking until he knew exactly what was going on. "Let's eat so the food doesn't get cold. There's nothing worse than cold steak." The rest of them agreed, so we sat down and ate our dinner, for which I received many compliments, though some confusion regarding the baby carrots. The girls and I just laughed under our breath at that one. Once dinner was over and the dishes were cleared, we decided that it was time.

We had the guys move into the living room, which they did willingly. They weren't so willing when Alice turned off the TV before they really got into the game showing. I carried in the cake, still covered, and Rose brought the plates, forks, a knife to cut it, and a lighter. When we got everything laid out on the coffee table, I carefully pulled off the cover, revealing a rectangular cake, with half of it iced in blue and the other half in pink. There were three candles placed in separate parts of the cake, and little plastic baby decorations scattered all over. Rose lit all three candles, and then we stepped back.

As agreed, Alice instructed the guys to prepare to blow a candle out each. They were now completely confused, but moved into position to do as asked. The three of us glanced at each other as we prepared to tell the guys of their impending fatherhood in the cheesiest way we could imagine.

"Happy future birthday to them! Happy future birthday to them! Happy future October birthday to them! Happy future birthday to them!" we all sang. We then had to burst out laughing at the astounded looks on their faces. Each of their mouths hung open, their eyes wide. We weren't sure if it was the singing, the song, or the message that had them so dumbfounded. Either way, the candles were about to drip wax on the cake.

"Blow the damn candles out before they drop wax on the cake!" Rose snapped at them, which snapped them out of their daze and prompted them to follow the instruction. Edward and Jasper sat back in their seat, still obviously either stunned by the news or trying to figure out the message. Emmett, on the other hand, grabbed the knife and started cutting a huge piece for himself. "Figures, Emmett doesn't even notice that there was a message to the whole thing. He's too worried about the damn cake."

Emmett looked up at us as he shoveled in the first bite, mumbling, "Huh? What message?" around his bite. Disgusting, but typical Emmett.

Meanwhile, Jasper's eyes started bouncing around the three of us but Edward was staring at me like I was the only person on the earth. "Bella?" he whispered. I gave him a soft smile and nodded my head. None of us were sure how they were going to react. We knew they wanted kids, but we hadn't planned on having them until each was done with school, much less all three of us at one time. That plan went out the window with the bad batch of pills.

Slowly, a smile grew on Edward's face, until it was so wide I was surprised his cheeks could stretch that far. He launched himself at me, picking me up in his arms and twirling me around in the air, laughing between kisses he landed anywhere he could reach. All I could do is hold on to his shoulders and laugh with him.

"Really? Are you sure?" he whispered to me.

"Yes, Carlisle gave me the test results this afternoon. We're pregnant, Baby!" He began laughing and twirling me around again, this time with tears streaming down his face. He finally stopped twirling, gently putting me back on my feet, but kept his arms locked around me, kissing me deeply. I felt one of his arms release me, and his hand coming around my torso to rest on my lower stomach. He was saying "Hello" to his baby for the first time.

Meanwhile, Jasper had carefully approached Alice before dropping to his knees in front of her, framing her face with his large hands. As was usual for them, their conversation was shared completely through eye contact. Both of their faces broke into wide grins as tears tracked down their faces. Jasper pulled Alice in for a tight hug, and then a deep kiss, before leaning down to place a gentle kiss to her still-flat stomach, whispering something that we couldn't hear.

While this was happening, Emmett continued to sit on the couch, just holding his cake now, staring at Rose. Apparently something had finally clicked for him. She walked around the table to sit down next to him. He continued to stare where she had stood, looking eerily like a statue. Rose finally took the plate and fork away from him, which garnered no reaction whatsoever. Becoming concerned, she called his name several times, waving her hand in front of his face. Still no reaction. Apparently, Emmett was in shock. Finally desperate, Rose hauled back and smacked him across the top of his head. This snapped him out of it enough to get him to blink and start talking.

"Seriously, Babe? You're pregnant? We're going to have a baby? You and me?"

Emmett's words weren't reassuring, but his tone of voice, full of wonderment and excitement, was. Rose finally smiled and nodded, saying, "Yes, baby, you and me. We're going to have a baby. Actually, all three of us are."

"What?!?" was the response from all three of them. That fact hadn't quite sunk in yet, apparently.

"Yep," Alice replied. "The batch of pills we used last month were bad, and all three of us are pregnant, likely due in October." At that point, Emmett was lucky he was already sitting down, since both Edward and Jasper collapsed to the floor, nearly taking Alice and me with them. They hadn't passed out exactly, but they were clearly stunned. After several minutes of trying to get them to revive, Alice and I just shrugged at each other and sat down in one of the other couches. "I want some cake," she said, bouncing out of her seat, looking to see if I wanted some as well. At my nod, she cut two pieces, and gave me one when she returned.

We were just finishing our second piece each when the guys on the floor began to stir. They remained dazed for the rest of the evening as Rose, Alice, and I pulled out the floor layout of the house and rearranged rooms. We each decided to move our studies to the former guest rooms down the hall, making the former studies into nurseries. The downstairs bedroom would become the daytime nursery/playroom for the little ones. Oddly enough, with the rearrangement, all of the upstairs rooms now had an active use. I would have never have imagined we would find a use for all those rooms when we first moved in, but here we are, five years later, with no guest space.

"Maybe we'll build a guest house out back, if it's really necessary. I mean, really. How often do we have people here in the first place?" Rose was muttering. She had a point. In the five years we'd been here, Alice's parents had visited overnight twice and my dad and Sue once, both over holidays. The Hales stayed at the Hilton in town, saying they didn't want to "cramp our style". As it was, if anyone we knew wanted to visit, they could likely stay with Carlisle and Esme, since they had plenty of room. Beth and Aro had married three years ago, and were living in Aro's house not ten minutes away. They had room there as well.

"Good point, Rose. Hell, if nothing else, they can camp out in the game room or the library. Let's not worry about guests at this point. We've got kids now," I responded. Alice cringed a bit, but had to agree with the practicality of the decision.

With that, I'd had enough for the evening. I pulled a still-punchy Edward along with me as I said goodnight to the group. I got him upstairs and sitting on the bed, though he was still more-or-less unresponsive. I sincerely hoped he snapped out of this soon. He was starting to worry me.

I stoked the fire I had lit earlier in the evening before I went about my evening routine: pulling off my clothes, washing my face, and brushing my teeth. As I had hoped, the sight of my nude body finally made him snap to attention. He stood up and came to stand behind me. We could see both of us in the mirror. He lifted his hands to my breasts, testing their weight and sensitivity. I was stunned to realize that they had already begun changing when he brushed a thumb across one nipple and it hurt more than it felt good. He noticed my flinch and asked, "Tender?" I nodded, my question plain on my face. "It's normal for your breasts to become fuller and very sensitive, even to the point of becoming painful. That's usually the first thing most women notice. That and frequent urination. We just went over obstetrics in class. I'm really glad now that I paid attention."

"You always pay attention, Sweetheart. That's what is going to make you a great doctor. And it's reassuring to have someone with medical knowledge living with me, which we've discussed before. Especially now that you know how to do stitches," I had to quip. I'd been in Carlisle's office several times a year since moving to Seattle for various injuries. It drove Edward nuts at first that I injured myself that often, but he's finally just come to terms that it happens, and does his best to foresee possible risks and prevent it from happening. After yet another deep cut in my hand, which Edward happened to be home for, Carlisle had taught him how to do my stitches himself, and given him the supplies necessary to do so. Once Edward was in his residency, he could get the supplies himself, but for now, we just let Carlisle know when we needed more of something. Edward has actually gotten quite good practicing on me. And it's kind of sexy to have him work on me.

Edward just shook his head at me, reflexively checking my last set of stitches. It'd been more than three months since I'd last cut myself. I was on a roll. "You're strange."

"I know. I like wearing your scars. It's almost like a bite mark, like you're showing your possession of me."

His body shuddered behind me. He like the idea of showing his possession of me. "Just don't go cutting yourself on purpose. I've stitched you up five times in the last year and a half. You have no idea how difficult it is to not overreact when it's you that is injured."

"I know, Baby. I don't do it on purpose." His hand drifted down to cover my lower abdomen in the cradle of my hips. "We didn't do this on purpose either. Are you okay with that?" I had to know.

Edward's eyes jerked up to look into mine. "Bella, of course I'm okay with us having a baby. We might not have planned to have one so soon, but you know I've always wanted a family with you. I can't wait to see you round with my child. I love you, Bella. I love you more with every passing day. I can't imagine my life without you, because I would have no life. You are everything to me, you, and now our little one. You two are my life."

His sweet words brought tears to my eyes as he swept me up in his arms, carrying me to the bed, before gently placing me on top of it. He quickly shed his clothes before crawling up beside me, pausing briefly to kiss my stomach, before lying down but making sure not to put much weight on me. I could tell already he was going to be treating me like spun sugar for the entirety of my pregnancy. He is so very sweet, a truly wonderful husband. He was going to drive me mad.

We began kissing in earnest, the passion between us igniting quickly. My needs flared to a roaring blaze immediately, making me realize that I needed something more than the soft, sweet lovemaking my husband obviously intended for the next nine months. That was going to get frustrating quickly.

I pushed him onto his back, moving quickly to straddle him. With an abrupt movement he was not yet ready for, I slammed myself down onto him, relishing the feel of his hard cock stretching me as I bathed him in my flowing juices.

"Oh, Baby!" he ground out, clenching his jaw in his effort to control himself. I knew he was just as needy as I was. We hadn't made love in several days, with his classes and homework and stresses. We both needed to let go. "Please, I'm trying to be gentle!"

"I know you were," I purred back at him, beginning a hard and fast rhythm above him. There was nothing gentle about how I was riding him. "The baby is perfectly safe right now. In five months, I'm going to be getting fat with your child, and we are going to have to figure out how to please each other sexually around my belly. We can be gentle then. Until then, when we need it, like right now, Baby, I want you to fuck me!"

He groaned loudly at my words, before grasping my hips in the hold I loved so much and began pounding into me from below. I leaned backward, tilting my head back as far as was comfortable, knowing that the new angle allowed his cock to rub that special spot within me, and caused my hair to brush and tickle his balls and thighs. We were guaranteed to come hard and fast in this position.

"Yes, Baby, come hard for me. Clamp down tight on my hard cock!" he grunted out at me between pants. His words triggered my orgasm, as he'd intended. My body began convulsing above his, tightening incredibly as I howled my pleasure to the world. His body thrust into mine twice more before his own orgasm overtook him, making him shudder below me and shout my name in ecstasy. A few more moments of intense pleasure later, we both relaxed downward, my body sprawled over his. Once we regained enough strength, I moved to his side, still struggling to regain my breath.

When he had stopped gasping, he got up to get a warm washcloth, cleaning me as he always did. He brought the brush back with him, pulling me between his legs as he brushed out my hair. We spoke softly about our day. He was intensely curious about everything Carlisle had said, about how I felt about the whole situation, about what the girls thought about us all being pregnant at the same time. He told me about how he felt when he figured out what we were saying, what was going through his mind when he and Jasper were essentially passed out on the floor, about what was on his mind that had him so preoccupied throughout the rest of the evening. We shared everything, as we always did.

When we were finished sharing, we laid down in our usual drifting off position. After a moment, he scooted down to place a sweet kiss to my belly, whispering, "Good night, Little One." He then climbed back up behind me, wrapping me in his arms and intertwining his legs with mine. He moved his top arm down to place his hand protectively over my still-flat belly. With a sweet kiss to the side of my head, he whispered to me, "Good night, Sweet Girl. I love you so much. Thank you for making me the happiest man in the world again."

I could only whisper in return, "I love you, Edward. You're going to be a wonderful daddy." I turned my head far enough for him to reach to kiss my lips. I snuggled back down into his chest, my favorite place to be. "Good night, Sweetheart. I love you."

"I love you, Bella," he breathed to me. I could feel his body relaxing behind me as he slipped into sleep. His hand never strayed from its spot above my pelvis. I closed my eyes and basked in the warmth of his love, smiling gently as I, too, drifted off to sleep.


End file.
